Trace elements in farmed fish (Cyprinus carpio, Ctenopharyngodon idella and Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Beijing: implication from feed.

PubMed

Jiang, Haifeng; Qin, Dongli; Mou, Zhenbo; Zhao, Jiwei; Tang, Shizhan; Wu, Song; Gao, Lei

2016-06-01

Concentrations of 30 trace elements, Li, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Se, Sr, Co, Al, Ti, As, Cs, Sc, Te, Ba, Ga, Pb, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, TI, Be, Hg and U in major cultured freshwater fish species (common carp-Cyprinus carpio, grass carp-Ctenopharyngodon idella and rainbow trout-Oncorhynchus mykiss) with the corresponding feed from 23 fish farms in Beijing, China, were investigated. The results revealed that Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Sr, Se were the major accumulated essential elements and Al, Ti were the major accumulated non-essential elements, while Mo, Co, Ga, Sn, Cd, Sb, Ag, Tm, U, TI, Be, Te, Pb and Hg were hardly detectable. Contents of investigated trace elements were close to or much lower than those in fish from other areas in China. Correlation analysis suggested that the elemental concentrations in those fish species were relatively constant and did not vary much with the fish feed. In comparison with the limits for aquafeeds and fish established by Chinese legislation, Cd in 37.5% of rainbow trout feeds and As in 20% of rainbow trout samples exceeded the maximum limit, assuming that inorganic As accounts for 10% of total As. Further health risk assessment showed that fish consumption would not pose risks to consumers as far as non-essential element contaminants are concerned. However, the carcinogenic risk of As in rainbow trout for the inhabitants in Beijing exceeded the acceptable level of 10(-)(4), to which more attention should be paid.

Heavy metals and essential elements in Italian cereals.

PubMed

Brizio, P; Benedetto, A; Squadrone, S; Curcio, A; Pellegrino, M; Ferrero, M; Abete, M C

2016-12-01

Crops intended for human nutrition and food production containing different essential trace elements, such as copper and zinc, could be contaminated by toxic metals like cadmium and lead. The interrelationship between micronutrients and contaminant trace elements in different cereals was investigated in North-western Italy, where both agricultural and industrial activities are present. Elemental concentrations in sampled cereals were assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Rice, oats and barley reached the highest median levels for Al, Cd and Pb content, while corn samples were less contaminated by toxic metals. Regarding essential elements highest median values of Cu and Zn were both found in barley, while Ni median content was higher in oats. Rice had the lowest median levels of essential elements. The correlation study between toxic and essential elements seemed to demonstrate fixed trends in analysed samples, corroborating the importance of a different diet to limit potential adverse effects caused by toxic elements.

Concentrations of selected essential and non-essential elements in arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and wolverines (Gulo gulo) from the Canadian Arctic.

PubMed

Hoekstra, P F; Braune, B M; Elkin, B; Armstrong, F A J; Muir, D C G

2003-06-20

Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and wolverine (Gulo gulo) tissues were collected in the Canadian Arctic from 1998 to 2001 and analyzed for various essential and non-essential elements. Several elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sn, Sr, Tl, U and V) were near or below the detection limits in >95% arctic fox and wolverine samples. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, total Hg (THg), Mn, Pb, Se and Zn were quantifiable in >50% of the samples analyzed and reported herein. Hepatic elemental concentrations were not significantly different among arctic foxes collected at Ulukhaqtuuq (Holman), NT (n=13) and Arviat, NU (n=50), but were significantly greater than concentrations found in wolverine liver from Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU (n=12). The mean (+/-1 S.E.) concentrations of Cd in kidney were also significantly greater in arctic fox (1.08+/-0.19 microg g(-1) wet wt.) than wolverine (0.67+/-0.18 microg g(-1) wet wt.). However, mean hepatic Cu concentrations (Ulukhaqtuuq: 5.5+/-0.64; Arviat: 7.1+/-0.49 microg g(-1) wet wt.) in arctic foxes were significantly lower than in wolverines (32+/-3.3 microg g(-1) wet wt.). Hepatic total Hg (THg) concentrations in arctic fox from this study were not significantly different from specimens collected in 1973, suggesting that THg concentrations have not changed dramatically over the past 30 years. The mono-methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in selected (n=10) arctic fox liver samples from Arviat (0.14+/-0.07 microg g(-1) wet wt.) comprised 14% of THg. While the molar concentrations of THg were correlated with Se in arctic foxes and wolverines, the hepatic Hg/Se molar ratios were consistently lower than unity; suggesting that Se-mediated detoxification pathways of Hg are not overwhelmed at current exposure.

Technology-Critical Elements: Economic and Policy Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggert, R. G.

2017-12-01

Critical elements are those that provide essential functionality to modern engineered materials, have few ready substitutes and are subject to supply-chain risks or concerns about long-run availability. This paper provides economic and public-policy perspectives on critical elements. It suggests: that which elements are critical is situational and changes over time; that we are not running out of mineral-derived raw materials in a geologic sense but rather, for some elements, face scarcities that are technological, environmental, political or economic in nature; and that public policy's most important role over the longer term is fostering scientific and technological innovation, especially early stage research, that has the potential to overcome these scarcities.

The Organizational Voice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkster, Bob

This overview of an English course, "Writing for Government, Business, and Industry" (listed as English 339 at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota), emphasizes the essential elements of audience and voice. Composition theorists' assertion that the absence of voice is symptomatic of a profound developmental deficit (suggesting an…

Publishing Qualitative Research in Counseling Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Brandon

2011-01-01

This article focuses on the essential elements to be included when developing a qualitative study and preparing the findings for publication. Using the sections typically found in a qualitative article, the author describes content relevant to each section, with additional suggestions for publishing qualitative research.

Toxic effects of trace elements on newborns and their birth outcomes.

PubMed

Tang, Mengling; Xu, Chenye; Lin, Nan; Yin, Shanshan; Zhang, Yongli; Yu, Xinwei; Liu, Weiping

2016-04-15

Some trace elements are essential for newborns, their deficiency may cause abnormal biological functions, whereas excessive intakes due to environmental contamination may create adverse health effects. This study was conducted to measure the levels of selected trace elements in Chinese fish consumers by assessing their essentiality and toxicity via colostrum intake in newborns, and evaluated the effects of these trace elements on birth outcomes. Trace elements in umbilical cord serum and colostrum of the studied population were relatively high compared with other populations. The geometric means (GM) of estimated daily intake (EDI, mgday(-1)) of the trace elements were in the safe ranges for infant Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When using total dietary intake (TDI, mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)), zinc (Zn) (0.880mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)) and selenium (Se) (6.39×10(-3)mgkg(-1)bwday(-1)) were above the Reference Doses (RfD), set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Multivariable linear regression analyses showed that Se was negatively correlated with birth outcomes. Our findings suggested that overloading of trace elements due to environmental contamination may contribute to negative birth outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of biotic response to heavy metal contamination in Avicennia marina mangrove ecosystems in Sydney Estuary, Australia.

PubMed

Nath, Bibhash; Chaudhuri, Punarbasu; Birch, Gavin

2014-09-01

Mangrove forests act as a natural filter of land-derived wastewaters along industrialized tropical and sub-tropical coastlines and assist in maintaining a healthy living condition for marine ecosystems. Currently, these intertidal communities are under serious threat from heavy metal contamination induced by human activity associated with rapid urbanization and industrialization. Studies on the biotic responses of these plants to heavy metal contamination are of great significance in estuary management and maintaining coastal ecosystem health. The main objective of the present investigation was to assess the biotic response in Avicennia marina ecosystems to heavy metal contamination through the determination of metal concentrations in leaves, fine nutritive roots and underlying sediments collected in fifteen locations across Sydney Estuary (Australia). Metal concentrations (especially Cu, Pb and Zn) in the underlying sediments of A. marina were enriched to a level (based on Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines) at which adverse biological effects to flora could occasionally occur. Metals accumulated in fine nutritive roots greater than underlying sediments, however, only minor translocation of these metals to A. marina leaves was observed (mean translocation factors, TFs, for all elements <0.13, except for Mn). Translocation factors of essential elements (i.e., common plant micro-nutrients, Cu, Ni, Mn and Zn) were greater than non-essential elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr and Pb), suggesting that A. marina mangroves of this estuary selectively excluded non-essential elements, while regulating essential elements and limiting toxicity to plants. This study supports the notion that A. marina mangroves act as a phytostabilizer in this highly modified estuary thereby protecting the aquatic ecosystem from point or non-point sources of heavy metal contamination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The elements of life and medicines

PubMed Central

Chellan, Prinessa; Sadler, Peter J

2015-01-01

Which elements are essential for human life? Here we make an element-by-element journey through the periodic table and attempt to assess whether elements are essential or not, and if they are, whether there is a relevant code for them in the human genome. There are many difficulties such as the human biochemistry of several so-called essential elements is not well understood, and it is not clear how we should classify elements that are involved in the destruction of invading microorganisms, or elements which are essential for microorganisms with which we live in symbiosis. In general, genes do not code for the elements themselves, but for specific chemical species, i.e. for the element, its oxidation state, type and number of coordinated ligands, and the coordination geometry. Today, the biological periodic table is in a position somewhat similar to Mendeleev's chemical periodic table of 1869: there are gaps and we need to do more research to fill them. The periodic table also offers potential for novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents, based on not only essential elements, but also non-essential elements, and on radionuclides. Although the potential for inorganic chemistry in medicine was realized more than 2000 years ago, this area of research is still in its infancy. Future advances in the design of inorganic drugs require more knowledge of their mechanism of action, including target sites and metabolism. Temporal speciation of elements in their biological environments at the atomic level is a major challenge, for which new methods are urgently needed. PMID:25666066

The elements of life and medicines.

PubMed

Chellan, Prinessa; Sadler, Peter J

2015-03-13

Which elements are essential for human life? Here we make an element-by-element journey through the periodic table and attempt to assess whether elements are essential or not, and if they are, whether there is a relevant code for them in the human genome. There are many difficulties such as the human biochemistry of several so-called essential elements is not well understood, and it is not clear how we should classify elements that are involved in the destruction of invading microorganisms, or elements which are essential for microorganisms with which we live in symbiosis. In general, genes do not code for the elements themselves, but for specific chemical species, i.e. for the element, its oxidation state, type and number of coordinated ligands, and the coordination geometry. Today, the biological periodic table is in a position somewhat similar to Mendeleev's chemical periodic table of 1869: there are gaps and we need to do more research to fill them. The periodic table also offers potential for novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents, based on not only essential elements, but also non-essential elements, and on radionuclides. Although the potential for inorganic chemistry in medicine was realized more than 2000 years ago, this area of research is still in its infancy. Future advances in the design of inorganic drugs require more knowledge of their mechanism of action, including target sites and metabolism. Temporal speciation of elements in their biological environments at the atomic level is a major challenge, for which new methods are urgently needed.

Cognitive Play and Mathematical Learning in Computer Microworlds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steffe, Leslie P.; Wiegel, Heide G.

1994-01-01

Uses the constructivist principle of active learning to explore the possibly essential elements in transforming a cognitive play activity into mathematical activity. Suggests that for such transformation to occur, cognitive play activity must involve operations of intelligence that, yield situations of mathematical schemes. Illustrates the…

Trophic transfer of essential elements in the clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris in the context of ocean acidification.

PubMed

Jacob, Hugo; Pouil, Simon; Lecchini, David; Oberhänsli, François; Swarzenski, Peter; Metian, Marc

2017-01-01

Little information exists on the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on the digestive and post-digestive processes in marine fish. Here, we investigated OA impacts (Δ pH = 0.5) on the trophic transfer of select trace elements in the clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris using radiotracer techniques. Assimilation efficiencies of three essential elements (Co, Mn and Zn) as well as their other short-term and long-term kinetic parameters in juvenile clownfish were not affected by this experimental pH change. In complement, their stomach pH during digestion were not affected by the variation in seawater pH. Such observations suggest that OA impacts do not affect element assimilation in these fish. This apparent pCO2 tolerance may imply that clownfish have the ability to self-regulate pH shifts in their digestive tract, or that they can metabolically accommodate such shifts. Such results are important to accurately assess future OA impacts on diverse marine biota, as such impacts are highly species specific, complex, and may be modulated by species-specific metabolic processes.

Trophic transfer of essential elements in the clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris in the context of ocean acidification

PubMed Central

Pouil, Simon; Lecchini, David; Oberhänsli, François; Swarzenski, Peter; Metian, Marc

2017-01-01

Little information exists on the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on the digestive and post-digestive processes in marine fish. Here, we investigated OA impacts (Δ pH = 0.5) on the trophic transfer of select trace elements in the clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris using radiotracer techniques. Assimilation efficiencies of three essential elements (Co, Mn and Zn) as well as their other short-term and long-term kinetic parameters in juvenile clownfish were not affected by this experimental pH change. In complement, their stomach pH during digestion were not affected by the variation in seawater pH. Such observations suggest that OA impacts do not affect element assimilation in these fish. This apparent pCO2 tolerance may imply that clownfish have the ability to self-regulate pH shifts in their digestive tract, or that they can metabolically accommodate such shifts. Such results are important to accurately assess future OA impacts on diverse marine biota, as such impacts are highly species specific, complex, and may be modulated by species-specific metabolic processes. PMID:28399186

The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback Training in Algorithmic Thinking Skills Enhancement.

PubMed

Plerou, Antonia; Vlamos, Panayiotis; Triantafillidis, Chris

2017-01-01

Although research on learning difficulties are overall in an advanced stage, studies related to algorithmic thinking difficulties are limited, since interest in this field has been recently raised. In this paper, an interactive evaluation screener enhanced with neurofeedback elements, referring to algorithmic tasks solving evaluation, is proposed. The effect of HCI, color, narration and neurofeedback elements effect was evaluated in the case of algorithmic tasks assessment. Results suggest the enhanced performance in the case of neurofeedback trained group in terms of total correct and optimal algorithmic tasks solution. Furthermore, findings suggest that skills, concerning the way that an algorithm is conceived, designed, applied and evaluated are essentially improved.

Business Computer Programming I. Curriculum Guide. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Jan

This guide provides instructors of business computer programming with a curriculum correlated directly to the office education essential elements mandated by the Texas Education Agency. Introductory materials include a scope and sequence and lists of suggested textbooks, resource books, software, audiovisuals, and magazines. Eleven units are…

Presence and Learning in a Community of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddrell, Jennifer A.; Morrison, Gary R.; Watson, Ginger S.

2017-01-01

The community of inquiry (CoI) framework suggests social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence are essential elements to foster successful educational experiences in computer-mediated distance learning environments. Although thousands of CoI-based articles have been published, those critical of the framework and related research…

Genetic features of petroleum systems in rift basins of eastern China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Qiang, J.; McCabe, P.J.

1998-01-01

Most oil-bearing basins in eastern China are Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental rifts which have played a habitat for oil and gas in China. Investigation of the petroleum systems may give a better understanding of the oil and gas habitats in these basins. Of the essential elements of the petroleum system, the source rock is the most important in rift basins. However, rift tectonic evolution controls all the essential elements and processes nevessary for a petroleum system. A four stage evolution model is suggested for the controls in the rift basin. A rift basin may consist of sub-basins, depressions, sub-depressions, and major, moderate, and minor uplifts. A depression or sub-depression has its own depocentre (mainly occupied by source rock) and all kinds of lacustrine sediments, and thus has all the essential elements of a petroleum system. However, only those depressions or sub-depressions which are rich in organic matter and deeply buried to generate oil and gas form petroleum systems. Immature oil, another characteristic, complicates the petroleum system in the rift basins. Three types of oil and gas habitats are described as a result of this analysis of the petroleum systems of the 26 largest oil and gas fields discovered in eastern China rift basins: uplifts between oil source centres are the most prospective areas for oil and gas accumulations, slopes connecting oil source centres and uplifts are the second, and the third type is subtle traps in the soil source centre.Most oil-bearing basins in eastern China are Mesozoic-Cenozoic continental rifts which have played a habitat for oil and gas in China. Investigation of the petroleum systems may give a better understanding of the oil and gas habitats in these basins. Of the essential elements of the petroleum system, the source rock is the most important in rift basins. However, rift tectonic evolution controls all the essential elements and processes necessary for a petroleum system. A four stage evolution model is suggested for the controls in the rift basin. A rift basin may consist of sub-basins, depressions, sub-depressions, and major, moderate, and minor uplifts. A depression or sub-depression has its own depocentre (mainly occupied by source rock) and all kinds of lacustrine sediments, and thus has all the essential elements of a petroleum system. However, only those depressions or sub-depressions which are rich in organic matter and deeply buried to generate oil and gas form petroleum systems. Immature oil, another characteristic, complicates the petroleum system in the rift basins. Three types of oil and gas habitats are described as a result of this analysis of the petroleum systems of the 26 largest oil and gas fields discovered in eastern China rift basins: uplifts between oil source centres are the most prospective areas for oil and gas accumulations, slopes connecting oil source centres and uplifts are the second, and the third type is subtle traps in the oil source centre.

Co-Teaching in Student Teaching of an Elementary Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Sau Hou

2018-01-01

Successful co-teaching relied on essential elements and different approaches. However, few studies were found on these essential elements and different approaches in student teaching. The objective of this study was to examine how teacher candidates and cooperating teachers used the essential co-teaching elements and co-teaching approaches.…

Friends' Organizations: The Supportive Element Essential to Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Progar, Dorothy

Reviewed are the history and public relations, financial and service roles of lay "Friends of the Library" groups. Programs and techniques useful in the pursuit of these roles are suggested. Guidelines for a constitution, fee schedule, and administrative structure plus a bibliography give potential friends organizations help in…

Improvisation: An Essential Element of Musical Proficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dobbins, Bill

1980-01-01

The author discusses the importance of improvisation, suggesting that improvisation be introduced in the earliest stages of education and be taught through an approach that integrates ear training, sight-reading, instrumental and vocal techniques and theory into a unified and complete understanding of music as a language. (Author/KC)

Day Camp Manual: Program. Book IV.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babcock, William

Book IV in a 5-book day camp manual discusses the camp program. Section I describes the organization, definition, and elements essential to successful day camp programs. Section II, which addresses the benefits and special considerations of mass programs, includes rainy day contingencies, materials to have on hand, and activity suggestions.…

Crisis, What Crisis?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Ken

2010-01-01

Responding to the recent work of Andrew Gamble, the article discusses the extent to which the British situation can be described in terms of crisis. It suggests that an essential element of crisis is that of political and social contestation, and explores the terms on which contestation is taking shape in and around British education.

A Strategic Plan for Introducing, Implementing, Managing, and Monitoring an Urban Extension Platform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Laura A.; Vavrina, Charlie S.; Campbell, Mary L.; Elliott, Monica L.; Northrop, Robert J.; Place, Nick T.

2017-01-01

Florida's Strategic Plan for Extension in Metropolitan Regions reflects an adaptive management approach to the state's urban Extension mission within the context of establishing essential elements, performance indicators, key outcomes, and suggested alternatives for action. Extension leadership has adopted the strategic plan, and implementation…

Developing Interdisciplinary Skills and Professional Confidence in Palliative Care Social Work Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supiano, Katherine P.; Berry, Patricia H.

2013-01-01

Research suggests that better educational preparation is necessary to assure that health care social workers have the competencies essential for high quality interdisciplinary palliative care practice. This study is a qualitative evaluation of those elements contributing to competence and confidence in interdisciplinary practice skills of second…

Trace elements in animal-based food from Shanghai markets and associated human daily intake and uptake estimation considering bioaccessibility.

PubMed

Lei, Bingli; Chen, Liang; Hao, Ying; Cao, Tiehua; Zhang, Xinyu; Yu, Yingxin; Fu, Jiamo

2013-10-01

The concentrations of four human essential trace elements [iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr)] and non-essential elements [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg)] in eighteen animal-based foods including meat, fish, and shellfish collected from markets in Shanghai, China, were analyzed, and the associated human daily intake and uptake considering bioaccessibility were estimated. The mean concentration ranges for eight trace elements measured in the foods were 3.98-131µgg(-1) for Fe, 0.437-18.5µgg(-1) for Mn, 5.47-53.8µgg(-1) for Zn, none detected-0.101µgg(-1) for Cr, 2.88×10(-4)-2.48×10(-2)µgg(-1) for Cd, 1.18×10(-3)-0.747µgg(-1) for Pb, none detected-0.498µgg(-1) for As, and 8.98×10(-4)-6.52×10(-2)µgg(-1) for Hg. The highest mean concentrations of four human essential elements were all found in shellfish. For all the trace elements, the observed mean concentrations are mostly in agreement with the reported values around the world. The total daily intake of trace elements via ingestion of animal-based food via an average Shanghai resident was estimated as 7371µgd(-1) for the human essential elements and 13.0µgd(-1) for the human non-essential elements, but the uptake decreased to 4826µgd(-1) and 6.90µgd(-1), respectively, after trace element bioaccessibility was considered. Livestock and fish for human essential and non-essential elements, respectively, were the main contributor, no matter whether the bioaccessibility was considered or not. Risk estimations showed that the intake and uptake of a signal trace element for an average Shanghai resident via ingestion animal-based foods from Shanghai markets do not exceed the recommended dietary allowance values; consequently, a health risk situation is not indicated. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Strategies for the engineered phytoremediation of toxic element pollution: mercury and arsenic.

PubMed

Meagher, Richard B; Heaton, Andrew C P

2005-12-01

Plants have many natural properties that make them ideally suited to clean up polluted soil, water, and air, in a process called phytoremediation. We are in the early stages of testing genetic engineering-based phytoremediation strategies for elemental pollutants like mercury and arsenic using the model plant Arabidopsis. The long-term goal is to develop and test vigorous, field-adapted plant species that can prevent elemental pollutants from entering the food-chain by extracting them to aboveground tissues, where they can be managed. To achieve this goal for arsenic and mercury, and pave the way for the remediation of other challenging elemental pollutants like lead or radionucleides, research and development on native hyperaccumulators and engineered model plants needs to proceed in at least eight focus areas: (1) Plant tolerance to toxic elementals is essential if plant roots are to penetrate and extract pollutants efficiently from heterogeneous contaminated soils. Only the roots of mercury- and arsenic-tolerant plants efficiently contact substrates heavily contaminated with these elements. (2) Plants alter their rhizosphere by secreting various enzymes and small molecules, and by adjusting pH in order to enhance extraction of both essential nutrients and toxic elements. Acidification favors greater mobility and uptake of mercury and arsenic. (3) Short distance transport systems for nutrients in roots and root hairs requires numerous endogenous transporters. It is likely that root plasma membrane transporters for iron, copper, zinc, and phosphate take up ionic mercuric ions and arsenate. (4) The electrochemical state and chemical speciation of elemental pollutants can enhance their mobility from roots up to shoots. Initial data suggest that elemental and ionic mercury and the oxyanion arsenate will be the most mobile species of these two toxic elements. (5) The long-distance transport of nutrients requires efficient xylem loading in roots, movement through the xylem up to leaves, and efficient xylem unloading aboveground. These systems can be enhanced for the movement of arsenic and mercury. (6) Aboveground control over the electrochemical state and chemical speciation of elemental pollutants will maximize their storage in leaves, stems, and vascular tissues. Our research suggests ionic Hg(II) and arsenite will be the best chemical species to trap aboveground. (7) Chemical sinks can increase the storage capacity for essential nutrients like iron, zinc, copper, sulfate, and phosphate. Organic acids and thiol-rich chelators are among the important chemical sinks that could trap maximal levels of mercury and arsenic aboveground. (8) Physical sinks such as subcellular vacuoles, epidermal trichome cells, and dead vascular elements have shown the evolutionary capacity to store large quantities of a few toxic pollutants aboveground in various native hyperaccumulators. Specific plant transporters may already recognize gluthione conjugates of Hg(II) or arsenite and pump them into vacuole.

Role of Soil Erosion in Biogeochemical Cycling of Essential Elements: Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw; Barnes, Rebecca T.; Six, Johan; Marín-Spiotta, Erika

2018-05-01

Most of Earth's terrestrial surface is made up of sloping landscapes. The lateral distribution of topsoil by erosion controls the availability, stock, and persistence of essential elements in the terrestrial ecosystem. Over the last two decades, the role of soil erosion in biogeochemical cycling of essential elements has gained considerable interest from the climate, global change, and biogeochemistry communities after soil erosion and terrestrial sedimentation were found to induce a previously unaccounted terrestrial sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide. More recent studies have highlighted the role of erosion in the persistence of organic matter in soil and in the biogeochemical cycling of elements beyond carbon . Here we synthesize available knowledge and data on how erosion serves as a major driver of biogeochemical cycling of essential elements. We address implications of erosion-driven changes in biogeochemical cycles on the availability of essential elements for primary production, on the magnitude of elemental exports downstream, and on the exchange of greenhouse gases from the terrestrial ecosystem to the atmosphere. Furthermore, we explore fates of eroded material and how terrestrial mass movement events play major roles in modifying Earth's climate.

Identifying the Essential Elements of Effective Science Communication: What Do the Experts Say?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bray, Belinda; France, Bev; Gilbert, John K.

2012-01-01

Experts in science communication were asked to identify the essential elements of a science communication course for post-graduate students. A Delphi methodology provided a framework for a research design that accessed their opinions and allowed them to contribute to, reflect on and identify 10 essential elements. There was a high level of…

Element Cycles: An Environmental Chemistry Board Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pippins, Tracy; Anderson, Cody M.; Poindexter, Eric F.; Sultemeier, S. Whitney; Schultz, Linda D.

2011-01-01

"Element Cycles" is an activity designed to reinforce correlation of essential elements and their different forms in the ecosystem. Students are assigned essential elements to research as homework, then share results, and construct game boards with four ecosphere sections: geosphere (earth), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere…

Essential and toxic elements in infant foods from Spain, UK, China and USA.

PubMed

Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Ramírez-Gandolfo, Amanda; Wu, Xiangchun; Norton, Gareth J; Burló, Francisco; Deacon, Claire; Meharg, Andrew A

2012-09-01

Spanish gluten-free rice, cereals with gluten, and pureed baby foods were analysed for essential macro-elements (Ca and Na), essential trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Cr, Co and Ni) and non-essential trace elements (As, Pb, Cd and Hg) using ICP-MS and AAS. Baby cereals were an excellent source of most of the essential elements (Ca, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn). Sodium content was high in pureed foods to improve their flavour; fish products were also rich in Se. USA pure baby rice samples had the highest contents of all studied essential elements, showing a different nutrient pattern compared to those of other countries. Mineral fortification was not always properly stated in the labelling of infant foods. Complementary infant foods may also contain significant amounts of contaminants. The contents of Hg and Cd were low enough to guarantee the safety of these infant foods. However, it will be necessary to identify the source and reduce the levels of Pb, Cr and As in Spanish foods. Pure baby rice samples contained too much: Pb in Spain; As in UK; As, Cr and Ni in USA; and Cr and Cd in China.

The non-LTR retrotransposon R2 in termites (Insecta, Isoptera): characterization and dynamics.

PubMed

Ghesini, Silvia; Luchetti, Andrea; Marini, Mario; Mantovani, Barbara

2011-03-01

The full-length element of the non-LTR retrotransposon R2 is here characterized in three European isopteran species: the more primitive Kalotermes flavicollis (Kalotermitidae), including two highly divergent mitochondrial lineages, and the more derived Reticulitermes lucifugus and R. urbis (Rhinotermitidae). Partial 3' sequences for R. grassei and R. balkanensis were also analyzed. The essential structural features of R2 elements are conserved in termites. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that termite elements belong to the same clade and that their phylogeny is fully compatible with the phylogeny of their host species. The study of the number and the frequency of R2 insertion variants in four R. urbis colonies suggests a greatly reduced, or completely absent, recent element activity.

Power, Status, and Cognitive Territory in Educational Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Margaret A.

This paper attempts to develop a greater understanding of and suggest some methods for defining day-to-day changes in policy and predicting the operation of power and status affecting educational decisions. Physical and cognitive territoriality have meaning in the study and exercise of power and status, and are essential elements in understanding,…

Mentoring as Professional Development for Novice Entrepreneurs: Maximizing the Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St-Jean, Etienne

2012-01-01

Mentoring can be seen as relevant if not essential in the continuing professional development of entrepreneurs. In the present study, we seek to understand how to maximize the learning that occurs through the mentoring process. To achieve this, we consider various elements that the literature suggested are associated with successful mentoring and…

Industrial Electronics II for ICT. Instructor's Guide and Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snider, Bob; Notgrass, Troy

This manual is designed to help instructors guide students through their manuals and laboratory training stations in the field of industrial electronics. The manual consists of the following nine sections: (1) suggestions for teaching the course; (2) an instructional delivery outline; (3) lists of essential elements common to all trade and…

Three tenets for secure cyber-physical system design and assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Jeff; Cybenko, George

2014-06-01

This paper presents a threat-driven quantitative mathematical framework for secure cyber-physical system design and assessment. Called The Three Tenets, this originally empirical approach has been used by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for secure system research and development. The Tenets were first documented in 2005 as a teachable methodology. The Tenets are motivated by a system threat model that itself consists of three elements which must exist for successful attacks to occur: - system susceptibility; - threat accessibility and; - threat capability. The Three Tenets arise naturally by countering each threat element individually. Specifically, the tenets are: Tenet 1: Focus on What's Critical - systems should include only essential functions (to reduce susceptibility); Tenet 2: Move Key Assets Out-of-Band - make mission essential elements and security controls difficult for attackers to reach logically and physically (to reduce accessibility); Tenet 3: Detect, React, Adapt - confound the attacker by implementing sensing system elements with dynamic response technologies (to counteract the attackers' capabilities). As a design methodology, the Tenets mitigate reverse engineering and subsequent attacks on complex systems. Quantified by a Bayesian analysis and further justified by analytic properties of attack graph models, the Tenets suggest concrete cyber security metrics for system assessment.

Identification of a sequence element on the 3' side of AAUAAA which is necessary for simian virus 40 late mRNA 3'-end processing.

PubMed Central

Sadofsky, M; Connelly, S; Manley, J L; Alwine, J C

1985-01-01

Our previous studies of the 3'-end processing of simian virus 40 late mRNAs indicated the existence of an essential element (or elements) downstream of the AAUAAA signal. We report here the use of transient expression analysis to study a functional element which we located within the sequence AGGUUUUUU, beginning 59 nucleotides downstream of the recognized signal AAUAAA. Deletion of this element resulted in (i) at least a 75% drop in 3'-end processing at the normal site and (ii) appearance of readthrough transcripts with alternate 3' ends. Some flexibility in the downstream position of this element relative to the AAUAAA was noted by deletion analysis. Using computer sequence comparison, we located homologous regions within downstream sequences of other genes, suggesting a generalized sequence element. In addition, specific complementarity is noted between the downstream element and U4 RNA. The possibility that this complementarity could participate in 3'-end site selection is discussed. Images PMID:3016512

Leaf elemental analysis in mycorrhizal post oak seedlings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boling, B. C.; Naab, F. U.; Smith, D.; Duggan, J. L.; McDaniel, F. D.

2006-09-01

Growth and element assimilation was investigated in the leaves of post oak seedlings exposed to four different treatment combinations of fertilization and ectomycorrhizal inoculation. Element concentration was analyzed via particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE). PIXE detected 10 of the 13 essential macro and micronutrients: P, S, Mg, Ca, K, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe and Cl. Mean growth and dry weight was significantly different across the treatment groups as well as the mean concentration of Mg, Al, S, K, Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn. The data suggest that fertilization rather than mycorrhizal inoculation had a stronger influence on nutrient uptake. This study is the first to analyze element concentration in post oak and to investigate the potential benefits of mycorrhizal symbiosis in post oak seedlings in terms of nutrient uptake.

Teaching the Nature of Science in Physics Courses: The Contribution of Classroom Historical Inquiries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurines, Laurence; Beaufils, Daniel

2013-01-01

Physics and chemistry programs at the secondary school level in France recommend introducing components of the history of science (HS). Emphasis is placed on a "cultural" dimension, which is poorly defined but essentially refers to elements of epistemological nature. Moreover, the few examples of activities based on HS suggested by the…

Succession planning: securing the future.

PubMed

Bolton, Julia; Roy, Wendy

2004-12-01

Succession planning is an essential business strategy for healthcare organizations, given the impending retirement of the huge Baby Boomer cohort of experienced nurses. It ensures that there will be qualified candidates when key vacancies occur. The authors describe the critical elements of a succession plan and suggest ways to implement them. The model can be applied to leadership and clinical positions.

Active Citizenship and the Secondary School Experience: Community Participation Rates of Australian Youth. Research Report Number.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Kevin; Lipsig-Mumme, Carla; Zajdow, Grazyna

Volunteering is often seen as an essential element in active citizenship and community participation, and existing literature suggests that those who volunteer young are more likely to volunteer through later stages of life. Analysis of Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), which identified factors that contribute to volunteering for…

HAIR HEAVY METAL AND ESSENTIAL TRACE ELEMENT CONCENTRATION IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

PubMed

Tabatadze, T; Zhorzholiani, L; Kherkheulidze, M; Kandelaki, E; Ivanashvili, T

2015-11-01

Our study aims evaluation of level of essential trace elements and heavy metals in the hair samples of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and identification of changes that are associated with autistic spectrum disorders. Case-control study was conducted at Child Development Center of Iashvili Children's Central Hospital (LD).We studied 60 children aged from 4 to 5 years old. The concentrations of 28 elements among (Ca,Zn, K, Fe, Cu, Se, Mn, Cr, S, Br, Cl, Co, Ag, V, Ni, Rb, Mo, Sr, Ti, Ba, Pb, As, Hg, Cd, Sb, Zr, Sn, Bi) them trace elements and toxic metals) were determined in scalp hair samples of children (n=30) with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and from control group of healthy children (n=30) with matched sex and age. Micro-elemental status was detected in the hair, with roentgen-fluorescence spectrometer method (Method MBИ 081/12-4502-000, Apparatus ALVAX- CIP, USA - UKRAIN) .To achieve the similarity of study and control groups, pre and postnatal as well as family and social history were assessed and similar groups were selected. Children with genetic problems, malnourished children, children from families with social problems were excluded from the study. The diagnosis of ASD were performed by pediatrician and psychologist (using M-CHAT and ADOS) according to DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders from the American Psychiatric association) criteria. The study was statistically analyzed using computer program SPSS 19. Deficiencies of essential trace microelements revealed in both group, but there was significant difference between control and studied groups. The most deficient element was zinc (92% in target and 20% in control), then - manganese (55% and 8%) and selenium (38% and 4%). In case of cooper study revealed excess concentration of this element only in target group in 50% of cases. The contaminations to heavy metals were detected in case of lead (78% and 16), mercury (43% and 10%) and cadmium (38% and 8%). The study statistical results indicated, that deficient concentrations of trace elements such as zinc, manganese, molybdenum and selenium in hair significantly linked with ASD (Kramer's V was 0,740; 0,537; 0,333; 0,417 accordingly). In case of cooper we got excess levels of this element and this data was highly linked with autism spectrum disorder. We got high associations and significant values between of lead, mercury and cadmium concentrations and ASD. Study results indicate that there are significant differences of hair essential trace elements concentrations in children with autism spectrum disorder comparing with healthy children group. The result obtained also showed high contamination to heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium in ASD children compared to healthy ones. So, our study demonstrated alteration in levels of toxic heavy metals and essential trace elements in children with autistic spectrum disorders as compared to healthy children. This suggests a possible pathophysiological role of heavy metals and trace elements in the genesis of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.

Vitamin D, Essential Minerals, and Toxic Elements: Exploring Interactions between Nutrients and Toxicants in Clinical Medicine

PubMed Central

Schwalfenberg, Gerry K.; Genuis, Stephen J.

2015-01-01

In clinical medicine, increasing attention is being directed towards the important areas of nutritional biochemistry and toxicant bioaccumulation as they relate to human health and chronic disease. Optimal nutritional status, including healthy levels of vitamin D and essential minerals, is requisite for proper physiological function; conversely, accrual of toxic elements has the potential to impair normal physiology. It is evident that vitamin D intake can facilitate the absorption and assimilation of essential inorganic elements (such as calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, and selenium) but also the uptake of toxic elements (such as lead, arsenic, aluminum, cobalt, and strontium). Furthermore, sufficiency of essential minerals appears to resist the uptake of toxic metals. This paper explores the literature to determine a suitable clinical approach with regard to vitamin D and essential mineral intake to achieve optimal biological function and to avoid harm in order to prevent and overcome illness. It appears preferable to secure essential mineral status in conjunction with adequate vitamin D, as intake of vitamin D in the absence of mineral sufficiency may result in facilitation of toxic element absorption with potential adverse clinical outcomes. PMID:26347061

Profiles of non-essential trace elements in ewe and goat milk and their yoghurt, Torba yoghurt and whey.

PubMed

Sanal, Hasan; Güler, Zehra; Park, Young W

2011-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the profiles of non-essential trace elements in ewes' and goats' milk and manufactured products, such as yoghurt, torba yoghurt and whey, as well as changes in trace element content during Torba yoghurt-making processes. Concentrations of non-essential trace elements in ewe (Awassi) and goat (Damascus) milk and their yoghurt, torba yoghurt and whey were quantitatively determined by simultaneous inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), after microwave digestion. Aluminium, antimony, arsenic, boron, beryllium, cadmium, nickel, lead, silver, titanium, thallium and vanadium were determined for both types of milk and their products. Barium was not detected in goats' milk or their products. Among all trace elements, boron was the most abundant and beryllium was least present in milk and the manufactured products. The results showed that goats' and ewes' milk and their manufactured products may be a source of 13 non-essential trace elements.

New Evidence against Chromium as an Essential Trace Element.

PubMed

Vincent, John B

2017-12-01

Nearly 60 y ago, chromium, as the trivalent ion, was proposed to be an essential element, but the results of new studies indicate that chromium currently can only be considered pharmacologically active and not an essential element. Regardless, articles still continue to appear in the literature claiming chromium is an essential element. Chromium has been marketed as an agent to reduce body mass and develop muscle; however, such marketing claims are no longer allowed in the United States because these claims, similar to claims of essential status, are not supported by experiments. Trivalent chromium has also been proposed as a therapeutic agent to increase insulin sensitivity and affect lipid metabolism. Although effective in certain rodent models, beneficial effects in humans have not been unequivocally established. Molecular mechanisms have been proposed for the beneficial effects but have not been definitively shown to occur in animals. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Sequential patterns of essential trace elements composition in Gracilaria verrucosa and its generated products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izzati, Munifatul; Haryanti, Sri; Parman, Sarjana

2018-05-01

Gracilaria widely known as a source of essential trace elements. However this red seaweeds also has great potential for being developed into commercial products. This study examined the sequential pattern of essential trace elements composition in fresh Gracilaria verrucosa and a selection of its generated products, nemely extracted agar, Gracilaria salt and Gracilaria residue. The sample was collected from a brackish water pond, located in north part Semarang, Central Java. The collected sample was then dried under the sun, and subsequently processed into aformentioned generated products. The Gracilaria salt was obtain by soaking the sun dried Gracilaria overnight in fresh water overnight. The resulted salt solution was then boiled leaving crystal salt. Extracted agar was obtained with alkali agar extraction method. The rest of remaining material was considered as Gracilaria residue. The entire process was repeated 3 times. The compositin of trace elements was examined using ICP-MS Spectrometry. Collected data was then analyzed by ANOVA single factor. Resulting sequential pattern of its essential trace elements composition was compared. A regular table salt was used as controls. Resuts from this study revealed that Gracilaria verrucosa and its all generated products all have similarly patterned the composition of essential trace elements, where Mn>Zn>Cu>Mo. Additionally this pattern is similar to different subspecies of Gracilaria from different location and and different season. However, Gracilaria salt has distinctly different pattern of sequential essential trace elements composition compared to table salt.

[The elemental composition of teeth hard tissues depending on the state of the environment].

PubMed

Suladze, N; Shishniashvili, T; Margvelashvili, V; Kobakhidze, K

2014-01-01

At present, great attention is paid to the origin of man-made micro elemental anomalies. To monitor the state of the environment and its effects on the human body, of great importance is the determination of the amount and distribution of various chemical elements in the dentin and enamel of the teeth. To determine the essential (Ca, Zn, Mn, Ni), conditionally essential (Rb, Ni, Sr) and toxic (Pb, Hg) trace elements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth and to identify the relationship between the elemental composition of the tooth structure and the state of the general and dental health depending on the state of the environment, we have examined 29 children aged 3-4 years who have carried out analysis of hard tissue of teeth (teeth used for remote medical reasons) for the maintenance of nine chemical elements. Children living in a relatively environmentally favorable conditions essential value and conditionally essential elements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth were within normal limits, and toxic elements slightly increased limits that differ from those of children living in environmentally disadvantaged areas. In particular, these essential elements were significantly reduced (except for zinc), as indicators of toxic elements - mercury and lead, increased by 12.5% and 44.5%, respectively, which is clearly reflected on the state of dental health because noted decompensated form of tooth decay. Thus, deviations in a state of general and dental health of children associated with an imbalance of macro-and microelements in the mineralized tissues of the teeth.

The use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the determination of toxic and essential elements in different types of food samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voica, C.; Dehelean, A.; Kovacs, M. H.

2012-02-01

Food is the primary source of essential elements for humans and it is an important source of exposure to toxic elements. In this context, levels of essential and toxic elements must be determined routinely in consumed food products. The content of trace elements (As, Pb, Cu, Cd, Zn, Sn, Hg) in different types of food samples (e.g. rice, bread, sugar, cheese, milk, butter, wheat, coffee, chocolate, biscuits pasta, etc.) was determined, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Trace element contents in some foods were higher than maximum permissible levels of toxic metals in human food (Cd in bread, Zn in cheese, Cu in coffee, Hg in carrots and peppers).

Essential Elements of Geologic Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Elmer James

1988-01-01

Described is a report outline for geologic reports. Essential elements include title; abstract; introduction; stratigraphy; petrography; geochemistry; petrology; geophysics; structural geology; geologic history; modeling; economics; conclusions; and recommendations. (Author/CW)

Metals as chemical tracers to discriminate ecological populations of threatened Franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) from Argentina.

PubMed

Romero, M B; Polizzi, P; Chiodi, L; Robles, A; Das, K; Gerpe, M

2017-02-01

Franciscana dolphins are the most impacted small cetacean in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, classified as Vulnerable A3d by IUCN. Essential (Fe, Mo, Mn, Cr, Ni, Co) and non-essential (Ag, Pb, Sn) trace elements (TEs) were measured in liver, kidney, and brain samples of by-catch Franciscana dolphins that were living in estuarine (n = 21) and marine (n = 21) habitats (1) to assess whether TEs posed a threat and (2) to evaluate the suitability of TEs for discriminating ecological populations of this species in Argentinean waters. Essential TEs showed little variation in tissues from both groups in agreement with levels reported for other cetaceans and suggesting that these concentrations correspond to normal physiological levels. Non-essential TEs were higher in estuarine juveniles and adults dolphins than in marine specimens. These results suggest anthropogenic sources associated with estuarine area and that Franciscana dolphins are good sentinels of the impact of the environment. The difference in the concentrations of TEs beetwen ecological populations appeared to be related to distinct exposures in both geographical areas, and it is suggested that Ag and Sn concentrations in adults are good chemical tracers of anthropogenic input of TEs. These results provide additional information for improved management and regulatory policy.

Trace elements contamination and human health risk assessment in drinking water from Shenzhen, China.

PubMed

Lu, Shao-You; Zhang, Hui-Min; Sojinu, Samuel O; Liu, Gui-Hua; Zhang, Jian-Qing; Ni, Hong-Gang

2015-01-01

The levels of seven essential trace elements (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, and Mo) and six non-essential trace elements (Cr, As, Cd, Sb, Hg, and Pb) in a total of 89 drinking water samples collected in Shenzhen, China were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the present study. Both the essential and non-essential trace elements were frequently detectable in the different kinds of drinking waters assessed. Remarkable temporal and spatial variations were observed among most of the trace elements in the tap water collected from two tap water treatment plants. Meanwhile, potential human health risk from these non-essential trace elements in the drinking water for local residents was also assessed. The median values of cancer risks associated with exposure to carcinogenic metals via drinking water consumption were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-7), 2.1 × 10(-8), and 2.5 × 10(-7) for As, Cd, and Cr, respectively; the median values of incremental lifetime for non-cancer risks were estimated to be 6.1 × 10(-6), 4.4 × 10(-5), and 2.2 × 10(-5) for Hg, Pb, and Sb, respectively. The median value of total incremental lifetime health risk induced by the six non-essential trace elements for the population was 3.5 × 10(-5), indicating that the potential health risks from non-carcinogenic trace elements in drinking water also require some attention. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the most important factor for health risk assessment should be the levels of heavy metal in drinking water.

The Boring Billion, a slingshot for Complex Life on Earth.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Indrani; Large, Ross R; Corkrey, Ross; Danyushevsky, Leonid V

2018-03-13

The period 1800 to 800 Ma ("Boring Billion") is believed to mark a delay in the evolution of complex life, primarily due to low levels of oxygen in the atmosphere. Earlier studies highlight the remarkably flat C, Cr isotopes and low trace element trends during the so-called stasis, caused by prolonged nutrient, climatic, atmospheric and tectonic stability. In contrast, we suggest a first-order variability of bio-essential trace element availability in the oceans by combining systematic sampling of the Proterozoic rock record with sensitive geochemical analyses of marine pyrite by LA-ICP-MS technique. We also recall that several critical biological evolutionary events, such as the appearance of eukaryotes, origin of multicellularity & sexual reproduction, and the first major diversification of eukaryotes (crown group) occurred during this period. Therefore, it appears possible that the period of low nutrient trace elements (1800-1400 Ma) caused evolutionary pressures which became an essential trigger for promoting biological innovations in the eukaryotic domain. Later periods of stress-free conditions, with relatively high nutrient trace element concentration, facilitated diversification. We propose that the "Boring Billion" was a period of sequential stepwise evolution and diversification of complex eukaryotes, triggering evolutionary pathways that made possible the later rise of micro-metazoans and their macroscopic counterparts.

Levels of Essential Elements in Different Medicinal Plants Determined by Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the content of essential elements in medicinal plants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Five different medical plants (mahareeb (Cymbopogon schoenanthus), sheeh (Artemisia vulgaris), harjal (Cynanchum argel delile), nabipoot (Equisetum arvense), and cafmariam (Vitex agnus-castus)) were collected from Madina city in the KSA. Five elements Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Se were determined by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Fe levels were the highest and Se levels were the lowest in all plants. The range levels of all elements in all plants were as follows: Fe 193.4–1757.9, Mn 23.6–143.7, Zn 15.4–32.7, Se 0.13–0.92, and Cu 11.3–21.8 µg/g. Intakes of essential elements from the medical plants in infusion were calculated: Fe 4.6–13.4, Mn 6.7–123.2, Zn 7.0–42.7, Se 0.14–1.5, and Cu 1.5–5.0 µg/dose. The calculated intakes of essential elements for all plants did not exceed the daily intake set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These medicinal plants may be useful sources of essential elements, which are vital for health. PMID:29744234

[Trust and conflicts in care, legal elements].

PubMed

Decroix, Germain

2013-10-01

Trust is essential in all forms of medical care. It first appears when the patient chooses the professional, then when the latter suggests a treatment. This medical contract can be broken by both parties, if this trust disappears. The ultimate situation is the occurrence of complications, which can lead to a real distrust of the professional with a complaint made against him or her.

The Incorporation of Market Orientation in the School Culture: An Essential Aspect of School Marketing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oplatka, Izhar; Hemsley-Brown, Jane

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the major features of market orientation (MO) and its benefits for schools, suggests an inventory to measure the degree of MO in a school, and provides strategies to incorporate elements of MO into the school culture. Design/methodology/approach: An instructional, technical approach which is based…

Active Ingredients of Instructional Coaching: Developing a Conceptual Framework. R2Ed Working Paper 2015-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Andrew S.; Howell Smith, Michelle; Kunz, Gina M.; Nugent, Gwen C.

2015-01-01

Although researchers have explored the impact of instructional coaching and named possible elements believed essential to effective coaching, there has yet to emerge from the literature a coherent model of those essential elements ("active ingredients"). This qualitative study sought to identify those elements through a systematic…

Bioaccumulation of potentially toxic trace elements in benthic organisms of Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Antarctica).

PubMed

Majer, Alessandra Pereira; Petti, Mônica Angélica Varella; Corbisier, Thais Navajas; Ribeiro, Andreza Portella; Theophilo, Carolina Yume Sawamura; Ferreira, Paulo Alves de Lima; Figueira, Rubens Cesar Lopes

2014-02-15

Data about the concentration, accumulation and transfer of potentially toxic elements in Antarctic marine food webs are essential for understanding the impacts of these elements, and for monitoring the pollution contribution of scientific stations, mainly in Admiralty Bay due to the 2012 fire in the Brazilian scientific station. Accordingly, the concentration of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn was measured in eight benthic species collected in the 2005/2006 austral summer and the relationship between concentration and trophic position (indicated by δ(15)N values) was tested. A wide variation in metal content was observed depending on the species and the element. In the studied trophic positions, it was observed bioaccumulation for As, Cd and Pb, which are toxic elements with no biological function. In addition, Cd showed a positive relationship between concentration and trophic level suggesting the possible biomagnification of this element. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions on the essential competencies for intraprofessional practice.

PubMed

Jelley, Wilma; Larocque, Nathalie; Borghese, Michael

2013-01-01

To gather the perspectives of physiotherapists and physiotherapist assistants on essential competencies for intraprofessional (physiotherapist-physiotherapist assistant) collaboration. A survey was developed to gather physiotherapist and physiotherapist assistant perceptions of the essential elements of effective and efficient intraprofessional collaborative practice. Participants were asked to rate the importance of 36 elements in 6 different categories (communication, collaboration, consultation, assignment of tasks, conflict management, and roles/responsibilities) involved in intraprofessional practice. A total of 1049 physiotherapists and 121 physiotherapist assistants responded to the survey. Analysis identified 10 competency elements perceived by participants as essential to effective and efficient intraprofessional collaboration. Comparisons using demographic variables consistently yielded the same top 10 elements. Our results indicated that physiotherapists and physiotherapist assistants working in private and public practice share very similar views on what is essential for effective intraprofessional practice. The consensus is that communication is key; open lines of communication help to determine responsibilities. Physiotherapy pre-licensure and continuing education programmes should include opportunities to work on communication, listening, and the skills needed to interact and collaborate effectively.

Early Childhood Physical Education. The Essential Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabbard, Carl

1988-01-01

Details are presented regarding the essential elements of an effective early childhood physical education curriculum. Components include movement awareness, fundamental locomotor skills, fundamental nonlocomotor skills, fundamental manipulative skills, and health-related fitness. (CB)

Defining Stability, Security, Transition, and Reconstruction (SSTR) Operations Requirements for Future Department of the Navy Training and Analytical Models and Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

43 B. WELL-DEFINED MEASURES ........................................................... 43 C. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF ANALYSIS ( EEA ...45 D. EEA PROCESS FOR RESTORATION OF ESSENTIAL SERVICE - WATER...FBCB2 Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below FM Army Field Manual EEA Essential Elements of Analysis EPG Electronic Proving Ground ESS

Contributions of individual domains to function of the HIV-1 Rev response element.

PubMed

O'Carroll, Ina P; Thappeta, Yashna; Fan, Lixin; Ramirez-Valdez, Edric A; Smith, Sean; Wang, Yun-Xing; Rein, Alan

2017-08-16

The HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) is a 351-base element in unspliced and partially spliced viral RNA; binding of the RRE by the viral Rev protein induces nuclear export of RRE-containing RNAs, as required for virus replication. It contains one long, imperfect double helix (domain I), one branched domain (domain II) containing a high-affinity Rev-binding site, and two or three additional domains. We previously reported that the RRE assumes an "A" shape in solution and suggested that the location of the Rev binding sites in domains I and II, opposite each other on the two legs of the A, is optimal for Rev binding and explains Rev's specificity for RRE-containing RNAs. Using SAXS and a quantitative functional assay, we have now analyzed a panel of RRE mutants. All the results support the essential role of the A shape for RRE function. Moreover, they suggest that the distal portion of domain I and the three crowning domains all contribute to the maintenance of the A shape. Domains I and II are necessary and sufficient for substantial RRE function, provided they are joined by a flexible linker that allows the two domains to face each other. IMPORTANCE Retroviral replication requires that some of the viral RNAs transcribed in the cell nucleus be exported to the cytoplasm without being spliced. To achieve this, HIV-1 encodes a protein, Rev, which binds to a complex, highly structured element within viral RNA, the Rev Response Element (RRE), and escorts RRE-containing RNAs from the nucleus. We previously reported that the RRE is "A"-shaped and suggested that this architecture, with the 2 legs opposite one another, can explain the specificity of Rev for the RRE. We have analyzed the functional contributions of individual RRE domains, and now report that several domains contribute, with some redundancy, to maintenance of the overall RRE shape. The data strongly support the hypothesis that the opposed placement of the 2 legs is essential for RRE function. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Contributions of Individual Domains to Function of the HIV-1 Rev Response Element

PubMed Central

O'Carroll, Ina P.; Thappeta, Yashna; Fan, Lixin; Ramirez-Valdez, Edric A.; Smith, Sean; Wang, Yun-Xing

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE) is a 351-base element in unspliced and partially spliced viral RNA; binding of the RRE by the viral Rev protein induces nuclear export of RRE-containing RNAs, as required for virus replication. It contains one long, imperfect double helix (domain I), one branched domain (domain II) containing a high-affinity Rev-binding site, and two or three additional domains. We previously reported that the RRE assumes an “A” shape in solution and suggested that the location of the Rev binding sites in domains I and II, opposite each other on the two legs of the A, is optimal for Rev binding and explains Rev's specificity for RRE-containing RNAs. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and a quantitative functional assay, we have now analyzed a panel of RRE mutants. All the results support the essential role of the A shape for RRE function. Moreover, they suggest that the distal portion of domain I and the three crowning domains all contribute to the maintenance of the A shape. Domains I and II are necessary and sufficient for substantial RRE function, provided they are joined by a flexible linker that allows the two domains to face each other. IMPORTANCE Retroviral replication requires that some of the viral RNAs transcribed in the cell nucleus be exported to the cytoplasm without being spliced. To achieve this, HIV-1 encodes a protein, Rev, which binds to a complex, highly structured element within viral RNA, the Rev response element (RRE), and escorts RRE-containing RNAs from the nucleus. We previously reported that the RRE is “A” shaped and suggested that this architecture, with the 2 legs opposite one another, can explain the specificity of Rev for the RRE. We have analyzed the functional contributions of individual RRE domains and now report that several domains contribute, with some redundancy, to maintenance of the overall RRE shape. The data strongly support the hypothesis that the opposed placement of the 2 legs is essential for RRE function. PMID:28814520

Clinical wisdom: the essential foundation of "good" nursing care.

PubMed

Haggerty, Lois A; Grace, Pamela

2008-01-01

Clinical wisdom, an essential foundation of nursing care that provides for the "good" of individual patients while taking into account the common good, is a concept that is difficult to define and comprehend. However, understanding what constitutes clinical wisdom is essential for the education of the types of nurses who are most likely to provide leadership that is consistent with the goals of nursing as outlined in the 2005 Code of Ethics for Nurses of the International Council of Nurses and the 2001 Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements of the American Nurses Association. The three key elements of wisdom, derived from the psychology and philosophy literature, are (1) balancing and providing for the good of another and the common good, (2) the use of intellect and affect in problem solving, and (3) the demonstration of experience-based tacit knowing in problematic situations. We conceptualized clinical wisdom as a more specific variant of general wisdom by examining how the core elements described can be linked to wisdom for nursing practice. In doing so, the nature of clinical wisdom is clarified and strategies are suggested to assist nurse educators in developing wise nurses.

A Practical Guide for Personnel Management: The Essential Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todaro, Julie B.

The essential elements of personnel management are outlined. Personnel management may be called by various names and may be practiced by various levels of management, but in any case it is one of the most important elements of a management position. While sample forms generally relate to Texas community colleges and libraries, the guide is written…

Elements of Inclusion: Findings from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMaster, Christopher

2014-01-01

The Ministry of Education has set the target of 100% of New Zealand schools to be "mostly" inclusive by 2014. But what are the essential elements of inclusion? This paper explores essential core elements that allow inclusion to flourish. Based on an extensive time in the field as part of a year-long doctoral research project, these…

Teaching the Six Essential Elements of Geography with Quality Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Jennifer

2015-01-01

In this article the author describes how she teaches third and sixth grade classes about the six essential elements of geography at the beginning of each school year. The six elements organize the eighteen national standards and include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and…

SRSF3 maintains transcriptome integrity in oocytes by regulation of alternative splicing and transposable elements.

PubMed

Do, Dang Vinh; Strauss, Bernhard; Cukuroglu, Engin; Macaulay, Iain; Wee, Keng Boon; Hu, Tim Xiaoming; Igor, Ruiz De Los Mozos; Lee, Caroline; Harrison, Andrew; Butler, Richard; Dietmann, Sabine; Jernej, Ule; Marioni, John; Smith, Christopher W J; Göke, Jonathan; Surani, M Azim

2018-01-01

The RNA-binding protein SRSF3 (also known as SRp20) has critical roles in the regulation of pre-mRNA splicing. Zygotic knockout of Srsf3 results in embryo arrest at the blastocyst stage. However, SRSF3 is also present in oocytes, suggesting that it might be critical as a maternally inherited factor. Here we identify SRSF3 as an essential regulator of alternative splicing and of transposable elements to maintain transcriptome integrity in mouse oocyte. Using 3D time-lapse confocal live imaging, we show that conditional deletion of Srsf3 in fully grown germinal vesicle oocytes substantially compromises the capacity of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), and consequently entry into meiosis. By combining single cell RNA-seq, and oocyte micromanipulation with steric blocking antisense oligonucleotides and RNAse-H inducing gapmers, we found that the GVBD defect in mutant oocytes is due to both aberrant alternative splicing and derepression of B2 SINE transposable elements. Together, our study highlights how control of transcriptional identity of the maternal transcriptome by the RNA-binding protein SRSF3 is essential to the development of fertilized-competent oocytes.

Promoter selection in human mitochondria involves binding of a transcription factor to orientation-independent upstream regulatory elements.

PubMed

Fisher, R P; Topper, J N; Clayton, D A

1987-07-17

Selective transcription of human mitochondrial DNA requires a transcription factor (mtTF) in addition to an essentially nonselective RNA polymerase. Partially purified mtTF is able to sequester promoter-containing DNA in preinitiation complexes in the absence of mitochondrial RNA polymerase, suggesting a DNA-binding mechanism for factor activity. Functional domains, required for positive transcriptional regulation by mtTF, are identified within both major promoters of human mtDNA through transcription of mutant promoter templates in a reconstituted in vitro system. These domains are essentially coextensive with DNA sequences protected from nuclease digestion by mtTF-binding. Comparison of the sequences of the two mtTF-responsive elements reveals significant homology only when one sequence is inverted; the binding sites are in opposite orientations with respect to the predominant direction of transcription. Thus mtTF may function bidirectionally, requiring additional protein-DNA interactions to dictate transcriptional polarity. The mtTF-responsive elements are arrayed as direct repeats, separated by approximately 80 bp within the displacement-loop region of human mitochondrial DNA; this arrangement may reflect duplication of an ancestral bidirectional promoter, giving rise to separate, unidirectional promoters for each strand.

Identification of two novel functional p53 responsive elements in the Herpes Simplex Virus-1 genome

PubMed Central

Hsieh, Jui-Cheng; Kuta, Ryan; Armour, Courtney R.; Boehmer, Paul E.

2014-01-01

Analysis of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome reveals two candidate p53 responsive elements (p53RE), located in proximity to the replication origins oriL and oriS, referred to as p53RE-L and p53RE-S, respectively. The sequences of p53RE-L and p53RE-S conform to the p53 consensus site and are present in HSV-1 strains KOS, 17, and F. p53 binds to both elements in vitro and in virus-infected cells. Both p53RE-L and p53RE-S are capable of conferring p53-dependent transcriptional activation onto a heterologous reporter gene. Importantly, expression of the essential immediate early viral transactivator ICP4 and the essential DNA replication protein ICP8, that are adjacent to p53RE-S and p53RE-L, are repressed in a p53-dependent manner. Taken together, this study identifies two novel functional p53RE in the HSV-1 genome and suggests a complex mechanism of viral gene regulation by p53 which may determine progression of the lytic viral replication cycle or the establishment of latency. PMID:25010269

Associations between IVF outcomes and essential trace elements measured in follicular fluid and urine: a pilot study.

PubMed

Ingle, Mary E; Bloom, Michael S; Parsons, Patrick J; Steuerwald, Amy J; Kruger, Pamela; Fujimoto, Victor Y

2017-02-01

A hypothesis-generating pilot study exploring associations between essential trace elements measured in follicular fluid (FF) and urine and in vitro fertilization (IVF) endpoints. We recruited 58 women undergoing IVF between 2007 and 2008, and measured cobalt, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc in FF (n = 46) and urine (n = 45) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We used multivariable regression models to assess the impact of FF and urine trace elements on IVF outcomes, adjusted for age, body mass index, race, and cigarette smoking. Trace elements were mostly present at lower concentrations in FF than in urine. The average number of oocytes retrieved was positively associated with higher urine cobalt, chromium, copper, and molybdenum concentrations. FF chromium and manganese were negatively associated with the proportion of mature oocytes, yet urine manganese had a positive association. FF zinc was inversely associated with average oocyte fertilization. Urine trace elements were significant positive predictors for the total number of embryos generated. FF copper predicted lower embryo fragmentation while urine copper was associated with higher embryo cell number and urine manganese with higher embryo fragmentation. No associations were detected for implantation, pregnancy, or live birth. Our results suggest the importance of trace elements in both FF and urine for intermediate, although not necessarily clinical, IVF endpoints. The results differed using FF or urine biomarkers of exposure, which may have implications for the design of clinical and epidemiologic investigations. These initial findings will form the basis of a more definitive future study.

Isolation and functional characterization of TIF-IB, a factor that confers promoter specificity to mouse RNA polymerase I.

PubMed

Schnapp, A; Clos, J; Hädelt, W; Schreck, R; Cvekl, A; Grummt, I

1990-03-25

The murine ribosomal gene promoter contains two cis-acting control elements which operate in concert to promote efficient and accurate transcription initiation by RNA polymerase I. The start site proximal core element which is indispensable for promoter recognition by RNA polymerase I (pol I) encompasses sequences from position -39 to -1. An upstream control element (UCE) which is located between nucleotides -142 and -112 stimulates the efficiency of transcription initiation both in vivo and in vitro. Here we report the isolation and functional characterization of a specific rDNA binding protein, the transcription initiation factor TIF-IB, which specifically interacts with the core region of the mouse ribosomal RNA gene promoter. Highly purified TIF-IB complements transcriptional activity in the presence of two other essential initiation factors TIF-IA and TIF-IC. We demonstrate that the binding efficiency of purified TIF-IB to the core promoter is strongly enhanced by the presence in cis of the UCE. This positive effect of upstream sequences on TIF-IB binding is observed throughout the purification procedure suggesting that the synergistic action of the two distant promoter elements is not mediated by a protein different from TIF-IB. Increasing the distance between both control elements still facilitates stable factor binding but eliminates transcriptional activation. The results demonstrate that TIF-IB binding to the rDNA promoter is an essential early step in the assembly of a functional transcription initiation complex. The subsequent interaction of TIF-IB with other auxiliary transcription initiation factors, however, requires the correct spacing between the UCE and the core promoter element.

Evaluation of dietary exposure to minerals, trace elements and heavy metals from the muscle tissue of the lionfish Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758).

PubMed

Hoo Fung, Leslie A; Antoine, Johann M R; Grant, Charles N; Buddo, Dayne St A

2013-10-01

Twenty-five samples of Pterois volitans caught in Jamaican waters were analyzed for 25 essential, non-essential and toxic elements using Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GF-AAS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The mean values for calcium (355 mg/kg), copper (107 μg/kg), iron (0.81 mg/kg), potassium (3481 mg/kg), magnesium (322 mg/kg), manganese (0.04 mg/kg), selenium (0.47 mg/kg), sodium (700 mg/kg) and zinc (4.46 mg/kg) were used to estimate dietary intake. The percentage contribution to provisional tolerable weekly intake for a 70 kg male and a 65 kg female were also estimated for the toxic elements arsenic (1.28% M, 1.38% F), cadmium (0.26% M. 0.28% F), mercury (3.85% M, 4.15% F) and lead (0.17% M, 0.18% F). To further assess the risk of mercury toxicity and the role of mitigation provided by selenium, selenium-mercury molar ratios were calculated for all samples. All samples were shown to have a molar excess of selenium. In addition the suggested selenium health benefit value was calculated, and was positive for all samples. It was concluded that P. volitans appears to contribute modestly to mineral and trace element nutrition, while not being a significant contributor to dietary exposure of toxic elements. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutritional Aspects of Essential Trace Elements in Oral Health and Disease: An Extensive Review

PubMed Central

Hussain, Mohsina

2016-01-01

Human body requires certain essential elements in small quantities and their absence or excess may result in severe malfunctioning of the body and even death in extreme cases because these essential trace elements directly influence the metabolic and physiologic processes of the organism. Rapid urbanization and economic development have resulted in drastic changes in diets with developing preference towards refined diet and nutritionally deprived junk food. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, augmented vulnerability to various oral and systemic diseases, impaired physical and mental growth, and reduced efficiency. Diet and nutrition affect oral health in a variety of ways with influence on craniofacial development and growth and maintenance of dental and oral soft tissues. Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are treated with antioxidants containing essential trace elements like selenium but even increased dietary intake of trace elements like copper could lead to oral submucous fibrosis. The deficiency or excess of other trace elements like iodine, iron, zinc, and so forth has a profound effect on the body and such conditions are often diagnosed through their early oral manifestations. This review appraises the biological functions of significant trace elements and their role in preservation of oral health and progression of various oral diseases. PMID:27433374

Reduced trace element concentrations in fast-growing juvenile Atlantic salmon in natural streams.

PubMed

Ward, Darren M; Nislow, Keith H; Chen, Celia Y; Folt, Carol L

2010-05-01

To assess the effect of rapid individual growth on trace element concentrations in fish, we measured concentrations of seven trace elements (As, Cd, Cs, Hg, Pb, Se, Zn) in stream-dwelling Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from 15 sites encompassing a 10-fold range in salmon growth. All salmon were hatched under uniform conditions, released into streams, and sampled approximately 120 days later for trace element analysis. For most elements, element concentrations in salmon tracked those in their prey. Fast-growing salmon had lower concentrations of all elements than slow growers, after accounting for prey concentrations. This pattern held for essential and nonessential elements, as well as elements that accumulate from food and those that can accumulate from water. At the sites with the fastest salmon growth, trace element concentrations in salmon were 37% (Cs) to 86% (Pb) lower than at sites where growth was suppressed. Given that concentrations were generally below levels harmful to salmon and that the pattern was consistent across all elements, we suggest that dilution of elements in larger biomass led to lower concentrations in fast-growing fish. Streams that foster rapid, efficient fish growth may produce fish with lower concentrations of elements potentially toxic for human and wildlife consumers.

The CGTCA sequence motif is essential for biological activity of the vasoactive intestinal peptide gene cAMP-regulated enhancer.

PubMed Central

Fink, J S; Verhave, M; Kasper, S; Tsukada, T; Mandel, G; Goodman, R H

1988-01-01

cAMP-regulated transcription of the human vasoactive intestinal peptide gene is dependent upon a 17-base-pair DNA element located 70 base pairs upstream from the transcriptional initiation site. This element is similar to sequences in other genes known to be regulated by cAMP and to sequences in several viral enhancers. We have demonstrated that the vasoactive intestinal peptide regulatory element is an enhancer that depends upon the integrity of two CGTCA sequence motifs for biological activity. Mutations in either of the CGTCA motifs diminish the ability of the element to respond to cAMP. Enhancers containing the CGTCA motif from the somatostatin and adenovirus genes compete for binding of nuclear proteins from C6 glioma and PC12 cells to the vasoactive intestinal peptide enhancer, suggesting that CGTCA-containing enhancers interact with similar transacting factors. Images PMID:2842787

The Research Base for a Public Relations Curriculum: A National Survey of Topics "Essential" to a Public Relations Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendall, Robert; Anderson, James W.

In order to rate the importance of elements involved in a public relations curriculum, a study analyzed the responses of public relations educators from all academic associations teaching the subject as well as practitioners from all specializations. Questionnaires were sent to 544 people who rated 110 elements as not essential to essential on a…

On an algorithmic definition for the components of the minimal cell.

PubMed

Martínez, Octavio; Reyes-Valdés, M Humberto

2018-01-01

Living cells are highly complex systems comprising a multitude of elements that are engaged in the many convoluted processes observed during the cell cycle. However, not all elements and processes are essential for cell survival and reproduction under steady-state environmental conditions. To distinguish between essential from expendable cell components and thus define the 'minimal cell' and the corresponding 'minimal genome', we postulate that the synthesis of all cell elements can be represented as a finite set of binary operators, and within this framework we show that cell elements that depend on their previous existence to be synthesized are those that are essential for cell survival. An algorithm to distinguish essential cell elements is presented and demonstrated within an interactome. Data and functions implementing the algorithm are given as supporting information. We expect that this algorithmic approach will lead to the determination of the complete interactome of the minimal cell, which could then be experimentally validated. The assumptions behind this hypothesis as well as its consequences for experimental and theoretical biology are discussed.

14 CFR 271.6 - Profit element.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS GUIDELINES FOR SUBSIDIZING AIR CARRIERS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION § 271.6 Profit element. The reasonable return for a carrier for providing essential air service at an eligible place...

Trace Elements in Hair from Tanzanian Children: Effect of Dietary Factor (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Najat K.; Spyrou, Nicholas M.

2009-04-01

Trace elements in certain amounts are essential for childrens' health, because they are present in tissues participating in metabolic reactions of organisms. Deficiency of the essential elements may result in malnutrition, impaired body immunity, and poor resistance to disease. These conditions might be enhanced against a background of additional adverse environmental factors such as toxic elements. The analysis of elements in childrens' hair will give information on the deficiency of essential elements and excess of toxic elements in relation to their diet. In this study, 141 hair samples from children (girls and boys) living in two regions of Tanzanian mainland (Dar es Salaam and Moshi) and the island of Zanzibar have been analysed for trace elements in relation to food consumption habits. The analysis was carried out using long and short irradiation instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of the Nuclear Physics Institute at Rez, Czech Republic. Arithmetic and geometric means with their respective standard deviations are presented for 19 elements. Subgroups were formed according to age, gender, and geographic regions from which the samples were collected. Differences in concentrations for the groups and with other childhood populations were explored and discussed.

Trace Elements in Hair from Tanzanian Children: Effect of Dietary Factor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammed, Najat K.; Spyrou, Nicholas M.

2009-04-19

Trace elements in certain amounts are essential for childrens' health, because they are present in tissues participating in metabolic reactions of organisms. Deficiency of the essential elements may result in malnutrition, impaired body immunity, and poor resistance to disease. These conditions might be enhanced against a background of additional adverse environmental factors such as toxic elements. The analysis of elements in childrens' hair will give information on the deficiency of essential elements and excess of toxic elements in relation to their diet. In this study, 141 hair samples from children (girls and boys) living in two regions of Tanzanian mainlandmore » (Dar es Salaam and Moshi) and the island of Zanzibar have been analysed for trace elements in relation to food consumption habits. The analysis was carried out using long and short irradiation instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of the Nuclear Physics Institute at Rez, Czech Republic. Arithmetic and geometric means with their respective standard deviations are presented for 19 elements. Subgroups were formed according to age, gender, and geographic regions from which the samples were collected. Differences in concentrations for the groups and with other childhood populations were explored and discussed.« less

Russian and Chinese Information Warfare: Theory and Practice

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

Integral neurolinguistic programming •Placing essential programs into the conscious or sub- conscious mind •Subconscious suggestions that modify human...Generators of special rays •Optical systems • Neurolinguistic programming •Computer psychotechnology •The mass media •Audiovisual effects •Special effects...Information Warfare: Theory and Practice 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e

Photosynthesis and early Earth.

PubMed

Shih, Patrick M

2015-10-05

Life has been built on the evolution and innovation of microbial metabolisms. Even with our scant understanding of the full diversity of microbial life, it is clear that microbes have become integral components of the biogeochemical cycles that drive our planet. The antiquity of life further suggests that various microbial metabolisms have been core and essential to global elemental cycling for a majority of Earth's history. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seven Essential Elements for Creating Effective Children's Media to Promote Peacebuilding: Lessons from International Coproductions of Sesame Street and Other Children's Media Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Charlotte F.; Lee, June H.; Bucuvalas, Abigail; Sirali, Yasemin

2018-01-01

Children's media have the capacity to prepare young learners to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to contribute to a more peaceful world. Research suggests international coproductions of Sesame Street and other children's media efforts are linked to positive impact on how viewers perceive themselves and their own cultures, as…

American Thyroid Association statement on the essential elements of interdisciplinary communication of perioperative information for patients undergoing thyroid cancer surgery.

PubMed

Carty, Sally E; Doherty, Gerard M; Inabnet, William B; Pasieka, Janice L; Randolph, Gregory W; Shaha, Ashok R; Terris, David J; Tufano, Ralph P; Tuttle, R Michael

2012-04-01

Thyroid cancer specialists require specific perioperative information to develop a management plan for patients with thyroid cancer, but there is not yet a model for effective interdisciplinary data communication. The American Thyroid Association Surgical Affairs Committee was asked to define a suggested essential perioperative dataset representing the critical information that should be readily available to participating members of the treatment team. To identify and agree upon a multidisciplinary set of critical perioperative findings requiring communication, we examined diverse best-practice documents relating to thyroidectomy and extracted common features felt to enhance precise, direct communication with nonsurgical caregivers. Suggested essential datasets for the preoperative, intraoperative, and immediate postoperative findings and management of patients undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer were identified and are presented. For operative reporting, the essential features of both a dictated narrative format and a synoptic computer format are modeled in detail. The importance of interdisciplinary communication is discussed with regard to the extent of required resection, the final pathology findings, surgical complications, and other factors that may influence risk stratification, adjuvant treatment, and surveillance. Accurate communication of the important findings and sequelae of thyroidectomy for cancer is critical to individualized risk stratification as well as to the clinical issues of thyroid cancer care that are often jointly managed in the postoperative setting. True interdisciplinary care is essential to providing optimal care and surveillance.

Tips for better visual elements in posters and podium presentations.

PubMed

Zerwic, J J; Grandfield, K; Kavanaugh, K; Berger, B; Graham, L; Mershon, M

2010-08-01

The ability to effectively communicate through posters and podium presentations using appropriate visual content and style is essential for health care educators. To offer suggestions for more effective visual elements of posters and podium presentations. We present the experiences of our multidisciplinary publishing group, whose combined experiences and collaboration have provided us with an understanding of what works and how to achieve success when working on presentations and posters. Many others would offer similar advice, as these guidelines are consistent with effective presentation. FINDINGS/SUGGESTIONS: Certain visual elements should be attended to in any visual presentation: consistency, alignment, contrast and repetition. Presentations should be consistent in font size and type, line spacing, alignment of graphics and text, and size of graphics. All elements should be aligned with at least one other element. Contrasting light background with dark text (and vice versa) helps an audience read the text more easily. Standardized formatting lets viewers know when they are looking at similar things (tables, headings, etc.). Using a minimal number of colors (four at most) helps the audience more easily read text. For podium presentations, have one slide for each minute allotted for speaking. The speaker is also a visual element; one should not allow the audience's view of either the presentation or presenter to be blocked. Making eye contact with the audience also keeps them visually engaged. Health care educators often share information through posters and podium presentations. These tips should help the visual elements of presentations be more effective.

A Suggested Molecular Pathology Curriculum for Residents: A Report of the Association for Molecular Pathology.

PubMed

Aisner, Dara L; Berry, Anna; Dawson, D Brian; Hayden, Randall T; Joseph, Loren; Hill, Charles E

2016-03-01

Molecular pathology is an essential element of pathology training. As more molecular tests have become available, there is an increasing need for pathology trainees to receive a strong foundation in molecular pathology. Appointed by the Training and Education Committee of the Association for Molecular Pathology, the Molecular Curriculum Task Force has developed a suggested curriculum in molecular pathology for residents. The foundations of molecular pathology are presented as a series of goals and objectives that residency programs can use to develop their educational programs. As pathologists continue to expand their roles to include regular clinical consultations in the realm of molecular testing, a strong foundation in molecular pathology and genomic medicine has become essential to the practice of pathology. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Metals in the Biological Periodic System of the Elements: Concepts and Conjectures

PubMed Central

Maret, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

A significant number of chemical elements are either essential for life with known functions, or present in organisms with poorly defined functional outcomes. We do not know all the essential elements with certainty and we know even less about the functions of apparently non-essential elements. In this article, I discuss a basis for a biological periodic system of the elements and that biochemistry should include the elements that are traditionally part of inorganic chemistry and not only those that are in the purview of organic chemistry. A biological periodic system of the elements needs to specify what “essential” means and to which biological species it refers. It represents a snapshot of our present knowledge and is expected to undergo further modifications in the future. An integrated approach of biometal sciences called metallomics is required to understand the interactions of metal ions, the biological functions that their chemical structures acquire in the biological system, and how their usage is fine-tuned in biological species and in populations of species with genetic variations (the variome). PMID:26742035

Mineral elements and essential trace elements in blood of seals of the North Sea measured by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griesel, S.; Mundry, R.; Kakuschke, A.; Fonfara, S.; Siebert, U.; Prange, A.

2006-11-01

Mineral and essential trace elements are involved in numerous physiological processes in mammals. Often, diseases are associated with an imbalance of the electrolyte homeostasis. In this study, the concentrations of mineral elements (P, S, K, Ca) and essential trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr) in whole blood of harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina) were determined using total-reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). Samples from 81 free-ranging harbor seals from the North Sea and two captive seals were collected during 2003-2005. Reference ranges and element correlations for health status determination were derived for P, S, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, and Zn level in whole blood. Grouping the seals by age, gender and sample location the concentration levels of the elements were compared. The blood from two captive seals with signs of diseases and four free-ranging seals showed reduced element levels of P, S, and Ca and differences in element correlation of electrolytes were ascertained. Thus, simultaneous measurements of several elements in only 500 μL volumes of whole blood provide the possibility to obtain information on both, the electrolyte balance and the hydration status of the seals. The method could therefore serve as an additional biomonitoring tool for the health assessment.

Deletion of ultraconserved elements yields viable mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahituv, Nadav; Zhu, Yiwen; Visel, Axel

2007-07-15

Ultraconserved elements have been suggested to retainextended perfect sequence identity between the human, mouse, and ratgenomes due to essential functional properties. To investigate thenecessities of these elements in vivo, we removed four non-codingultraconserved elements (ranging in length from 222 to 731 base pairs)from the mouse genome. To maximize the likelihood of observing aphenotype, we chose to delete elements that function as enhancers in amouse transgenic assay and that are near genes that exhibit markedphenotypes both when completely inactivated in the mouse as well as whentheir expression is altered due to other genomic modifications.Remarkably, all four resulting lines of mice lackingmore » these ultraconservedelements were viable and fertile, and failed to reveal any criticalabnormalities when assayed for a variety of phenotypes including growth,longevity, pathology and metabolism. In addition more targeted screens,informed by the abnormalities observed in mice where genes in proximityto the investigated elements had been altered, also failed to revealnotable abnormalities. These results, while not inclusive of all thepossible phenotypic impact of the deleted sequences, indicate thatextreme sequence constraint does not necessarily reflect crucialfunctions required for viability.« less

Essential and toxic elements in seaweeds for human consumption.

PubMed

Desideri, D; Cantaluppi, C; Ceccotto, F; Meli, M A; Roselli, C; Feduzi, L

2016-01-01

Essential elements (K, Ca, P, S, Cl, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni, Br, and I) and nonessential or toxic elements (Al, Ti, Si, Rb, Sr, As, Cd, Sn, and Pb) were determined by energy-dispersive polarized x-ray fluorescence spectrometry in 14 seaweeds purchased in local specialty stores in Italy and consumed by humans. The differences in elements between the algae species reached up to 2-4 orders of magnitude. Lithothamnium calcareum showed the highest levels of Ca, Al, Si, Fe, and Ti. Palmaria palmata showed the highest concentrations of K, Rb, and Cl. The highest content of S was in Chondrus crispus. Laminaria digitata contained the highest concentrations of total As, Cd, Sn, Br, and I. The highest concentration of Zn was in Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Ulva lactuca displayed the highest levels of Cu, Ni, Mn, and Pb. Iodine levels ranged from 3.4 in Chlorella pyrenoidosa to 7316 mg/kg(dry) in Laminaria digitata. The nutrimental importance of essential elements was assessed using nutritional requirements. The results showed that the consumption of algae might serve as an important source of the essential elements. Health risk due to the toxic elements present in seaweed was estimated using risk estimators. Total As, Cd, and Pb concentrations ranged from <1 to 67.6, to 7.2 and to 6.7 mg/kg(dry) respectively; therefore, their contribution to total elemental intake does not appear to pose any threat to the consumers, but the concentrations of these elements should be controlled to protect the consumer against potential adverse health risks.

Mediator structure and rearrangements required for holoenzyme formation.

PubMed

Tsai, Kuang-Lei; Yu, Xiaodi; Gopalan, Sneha; Chao, Ti-Chun; Zhang, Ying; Florens, Laurence; Washburn, Michael P; Murakami, Kenji; Conaway, Ronald C; Conaway, Joan W; Asturias, Francisco J

2017-04-13

The conserved Mediator co-activator complex has an essential role in the regulation of RNA polymerase II transcription in all eukaryotes. Understanding the structure and interactions of Mediator is crucial for determining how the complex influences transcription initiation and conveys regulatory information to the basal transcription machinery. Here we present a 4.4 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy map of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mediator in which conserved Mediator subunits are individually resolved. The essential Med14 subunit works as a central backbone that connects the Mediator head, middle and tail modules. Comparison with a 7.8 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy map of a Mediator-RNA polymerase II holoenzyme reveals that changes in the structure of Med14 facilitate a large-scale Mediator rearrangement that is essential for holoenzyme formation. Our study suggests that access to different conformations and crosstalk between structural elements are essential for the Mediator regulation mechanism, and could explain the capacity of the complex to integrate multiple regulatory signals.

Alpha3, a transposable element that promotes host sexual reproduction.

PubMed

Barsoum, Emad; Martinez, Paula; Aström, Stefan U

2010-01-01

Theoretical models predict that selfish DNA elements require host sex to persist in a population. Therefore, a transposon that induces sex would strongly favor its own spread. We demonstrate that a protein homologous to transposases, called alpha3, was essential for mating type switch in Kluyveromyces lactis. Mutational analysis showed that amino acids conserved among transposases were essential for its function. During switching, sequences in the 5' and 3' flanking regions of the alpha3 gene were joined, forming a DNA circle, showing that alpha3 mobilized from the genome. The sequences encompassing the alpha3 gene circle junctions in the mating type alpha (MATalpha) locus were essential for switching from MATalpha to MATa, suggesting that alpha3 mobilization was a coupled event. Switching also required a DNA-binding protein, Mating type switch 1 (Mts1), whose binding sites in MATalpha were important. Expression of Mts1 was repressed in MATa/MATalpha diploids and by nutrients, limiting switching to haploids in low-nutrient conditions. A hairpin-capped DNA double-strand break (DSB) was observed in the MATa locus in mre11 mutant strains, indicating that mating type switch was induced by MAT-specific DSBs. This study provides empirical evidence for selfish DNA promoting host sexual reproduction by mediating mating type switch.

Hepatic concentrations of copper and other metals in dogs with and without chronic hepatitis.

PubMed

Cedeño, Y; López-Alonso, M; Miranda, M

2016-12-01

Defects in copper metabolism have been described in several dog breeds, and recently, it has been suggested that changes in other essential trace elements could be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic disease. This study measured hepatic copper accumulation and its interactions with other essential trace and toxic metals in dogs diagnosed with chronic hepatitis. Liver samples of 20 chronic hepatitis and 20 healthy dogs were collected. Samples were acid digested, and essential metals (cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molibdenum, selenium and zinc) and toxic metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead) were analysed by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Copper concentrations were significantly higher in dogs affected by hepatic disease than in controls. Dogs having chronic hepatitis with liver copper concentration greater than 100 mg/kg wet weight showed statistically higher cobalt, manganese and zinc concentrations than dogs having chronic hepatitis with liver copper concentrations less than 100 mg/kg wet weight and controls. Toxic metal concentrations were low - in all cases below the threshold associated with toxicity in dogs. Dogs with chronic hepatitis not only have increased concentrations of copper in the liver but also increased concentrations of cobalt, manganese and zinc; measurement of these elements may perhaps aid in diagnosis of liver disease in dogs. © 2016 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Supporting the Essential Elements with CD-ROM Storybooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearman, Cathy J.; Lefever-Davis, Shirley

2006-01-01

CD-ROM storybooks can support the development of the five essential elements of reading instruction identified by The National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Specific features inherent in these texts, audio pronunciation of text, embedded vocabulary definitions and animated graphics can be used…

Co-Teaching in Student Teaching of an Elementary Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Sau Hou

2014-01-01

Successful co-teaching relies on essential elements, such as collaborative planning, communication skills, partnership relationship, classroom application, knowledge base, and co-teaching approaches. The objective of this study is to examine if teacher candidates and cooperating teachers use different essential co-teaching elements to implement…

Regional Economic Integration in the Developing World: Historical Trends at the Future Viability

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

elements of these previous integration experiences is essential , as it aids in assessing the future effectiveness of current developing country integration...assessed in order to elements of these previous integration see whether they have avoided the experiences is essential , as it aids in problems that...promote was felt that the inefficiency would only be industries that were more technologically temporary. What was essential was that based, especially

Chemical composition and pharmacological significance of Anethum Sowa L. Root.

PubMed

Saleh-E-In, Md Moshfekus; Sultana, Nasim; Rahim, Md Matiur; Ahsan, Md Aminul; Bhuiyan, Md Nurul Huda; Hossain, Md Nur; Rahman, Md Mahbubar; Kumar Roy, Sudhangshu; Islam, Md Rabiul

2017-02-23

Medicinal herbs are used for the treatment of different ailments since antiquity. Different parts of Anethum sowa L. is used in folk medicine as a carminative for the treatment of flatulence, colic and hiccups of infants and children, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antispasmodic agent. The aim of our present study is to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil, proximate and elemental composition, amino acid, fatty acid profile and thermal behaviour of its root part as well as different pharmacological activities like antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxicity of the root essential oil. The air-dried roots of Anethum sowa L. were subjected to hydro-distillation to yield the essential oil. The antioxidant activity of the essential oil was studied by DPPH radical scavenging activity. The antimicrobial activity was tested against four Gram-positive, six Gram-negative bacteria and four fungi species. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) for each examined microorganism were determined using the micro-dilution method. The LC 50 value of the oil was also evaluated by brine shrimp lethality assay. The subsequent proximate analysis was also done by AOAC methods. The elemental analysis of the root powder was analysed by ICP-MS, AAS and FP system. The fatty acid was extracted by hot and cold extraction method and the analyses were carried out by GC. The amino acid profile was done by the amino acid analyzer. The DTA, DTG and TG of the root powder were taken by the thermogravimetric analyzer. A total of 24 constituents was identified and quantified in the essential oil and its water extract portion by GC and GC-MS. Apiol (81.99 and 74.779%) was found the highest phenylpropanoid constituent followed by m-diaminobenzene (10.446 and 8.778%) in the essential oil and aqueous extract portion. On the other hand, β-butyrolactone (5.13%) and isobutyl acetone (3.73%) were found in the major constituents in the water extract part. The IC 50 value of the essential oil was found to be 3.07 mg/mL by DPPH radical assay methods. The LC 50 value of the brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay of the essential oil was observed at 0.81 μg/mL. The essential oil showed better activity on Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. The proximate composition showed that root contained 5.29% ash, 2.01% protein, 54.09% crude fibre, 0.15% essential oil and 1.14% fatty oil for hot extract and 0.23% for cold extract on the dried basis. The palmitic (33.81 & 31.58%) and linoleic acid (30.03 & 23.79%) were the major saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the cold and hot extracted root powder respectively. Ca (23,600 mg/kg), Mg (7620.33 mg/kg) and K (1286.15 mg/kg) were the most predominant elements followed by Ni (1187.30 mg/kg), Se (913.79 mg/kg), Li (317.84 mg/kg), Na (288.72 mg/kg) and Fe (206.88 mg/kg). The toxic elements were found to be within the permissible limit. Glutamic acid (19.37%), glycine (14.53%) and lysine (17.08%) were found as the major amino acids. The decomposition rates were obtained by TG, DTG and DTA curve of the powder sample at various temperature ranges. The results demonstrated that the root part of Anethum sowa L. is a rich source of mineral elements, essential amino acid and fatty acids. The essential oil is the highly potential as bioactive oil for pharmaceuticals and medical applications, possessing antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. The thermal analysis suggested as a simple, effective and rapid method to characterize the Anethum sowa L. species as well as to assess for herbal formulation.

A system view and analysis of essential hypertension.

PubMed

Botzer, Alon; Grossman, Ehud; Moult, John; Unger, Ron

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to investigate genes associated with essential hypertension from a system perspective, making use of bioinformatic tools to gain insights that are not evident when focusing at a detail-based resolution. Using various databases (pathways, Genome Wide Association Studies, knockouts etc.), we compiled a set of about 200 genes that play a major role in hypertension and identified the interactions between them. This enabled us to create a protein-protein interaction network graph, from which we identified key elements, based on graph centrality analysis. Enriched gene regulatory elements (transcription factors and microRNAs) were extracted by motif finding techniques and knowledge-based tools. We found that the network is composed of modules associated with functions such as water retention, endothelial vasoconstriction, sympathetic activity and others. We identified the transcription factor SP1 and the two microRNAs miR27 (a and b) and miR548c-3p that seem to play a major role in regulating the network as they exert their control over several modules and are not restricted to specific functions. We also noticed that genes involved in metabolic diseases (e.g. insulin) are central to the network. We view the blood-pressure regulation mechanism as a system-of-systems, composed of several contributing subsystems and pathways rather than a single module. The system is regulated by distributed elements. Understanding this mode of action can lead to a more precise treatment and drug target discovery. Our analysis suggests that insulin plays a primary role in hypertension, highlighting the tight link between essential hypertension and diseases associated with the metabolic syndrome.

Maternal-child transfer of essential and toxic elements through breast milk in a mine-waste polluted area.

PubMed

Castro, Francisca; Harari, Florencia; Llanos, Miguel; Vahter, Marie; Ronco, Ana Maria

2014-11-01

To determine the daily intake of essential micronutrients and toxic elements through breast milk in exclusive and nonexclusive breastfed infants living in an area with major mine tailing deposition (n = 24), compared with a control area (n = 11). The milk volume ingested by 2 to 4 and 4 to 6 month infants was measured by a stable isotopic method. Elements in milk, maternal and infant urine, and drinking water were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Similar breast milk volume and essential micronutrients intake in groups of exclusively breastfed infants, but more cadmium, boron, and lithium through breastfeeding in experimental area was found. This exposure was even higher in the nonexclusively breastfed infants, who also ingested more arsenic, boron, and lithium than exclusive breastfed infants. The use of the deuterium and the ICP-MS methods made it possible to evaluate the exact amount of essential and toxic elements ingested by infants through breast milk demonstrating that lower amount of toxic elements are transferred to exclusive breastfed infants compared with those who additionally received nonmaternal milk. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Self-reported ethnic status of delivering women, newborn body mass index, blood or urine concentrations of toxic metals, and essential elements in sera of Norwegian and Russian Arctic populations.

PubMed

Odland, J O; Nieboer, E; Romanova, N; Thomassen, Y; Brox, J; Lund, E

1999-01-01

As part of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), we assessed pregnancy outcome among Sami and Norwegian populations of Finnmark County in Norway and Russians living in the Kola Peninsula of Russia using body mass index of the newborn child (BMIC) as the main indicator; concentrations of essential and toxic elements in biological fluids of delivering women and their children served as additional sources of information. At the hospitals of Hammerfest and Kirkenes in the period November 1993-June 1994 a total of 107 consecutive women gave birth to a child, of whom 15 regarded themselves as Sami. The Russian group (N = 151) delivered their children in the same period. The Sami women were significantly older than the Russian group (28.5 versus 25.1 years, p = 0.04). The mean birth weight was significantly lower in the Sami group compared to non-Sami Norwegians (p = 0.01), but was of comparable magnitude to that recorded in Russia (p = 0.4). For BMIC, the Sami and non-Sami Norwegian results were similar (p = 0.2); both were significantly higher than in Russia (p < 0.001). The essential elements copper, zinc, selenium and iron (as ferritin) in serum showed no differences between the groups, although relatively low levels of serum zinc were documented in all populations studied. Blood cadmium concentrations were strongly related to smoking frequency. Blood lead and urinary nickel levels were significantly higher for the Russian mothers, but did not reach levels of medical concern. No ethnic differences in concentrations of essential elements in biological fluids, nor of cadmium and mercury, were observed. However, national differences for lead and nickel were evident. Because of small sample size, these conclusions need confirmation. The similar BMIC values observed for the non-Sami Norwegian and Sami newborns, compared to the Russian group, suggest that BMIC may serve as a good indicator of the nutritional status and possibly also the general health condition of neonates.

Identification of two novel functional p53 responsive elements in the herpes simplex virus-1 genome.

PubMed

Hsieh, Jui-Cheng; Kuta, Ryan; Armour, Courtney R; Boehmer, Paul E

2014-07-01

Analysis of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) genome reveals two candidate p53 responsive elements (p53RE), located in proximity to the replication origins oriL and oriS, referred to as p53RE-L and p53RE-S, respectively. The sequences of p53RE-L and p53RE-S conform to the p53 consensus site and are present in HSV-1 strains KOS, 17, and F. p53 binds to both elements in vitro and in virus-infected cells. Both p53RE-L and p53RE-S are capable of conferring p53-dependent transcriptional activation onto a heterologous reporter gene. Importantly, expression of the essential immediate early viral transactivator ICP4 and the essential DNA replication protein ICP8, that are adjacent to p53RE-S and p53RE-L, are repressed in a p53-dependent manner. Taken together, this study identifies two novel functional p53RE in the HSV-1 genome and suggests a complex mechanism of viral gene regulation by p53 which may determine progression of the lytic viral replication cycle or the establishment of latency. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Idaho's Blueprint for Early Learning: "The Essential Elements."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, Myrl, Ed.

Designed to provide information related to quality early care and education services for providers, policy makers, and clients in Idaho, This "blueprint" outlines the nine essential elements for best practices in early care and education settings. The document is presented in three parts. Part 1 delineates standards and indicators in…

FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality for State-Funded Preschool Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2016

2016-01-01

The "FOCUS: Essential Elements of Quality, New Mexico's Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS)," provides early childhood program personnel with the criteria, tools, and resources they need to improve the quality of their program. These quality improvements focus on children's growth, development, and learning--so that each…

A sarcoidosis clinician's perspective of MHC functional elements outside the antigen binding site.

PubMed

Judson, Marc A

2018-05-30

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause. Evidence supports an integral role for interactions at the MHC binding site in the development of sarcoidosis. However, despite this evidence, there are clinical data that suggest that additional mechanisms are involved in the immunopathogenesis of this disease. This manuscript provides a brief clinical description of sarcoidosis, and a clinician's perspective of the immunopathogenesis of sarcoidosis in terms of the MHC binding site, MHC functional elements beyond the binding site, and other possible alternative mechanisms. Input from clinicians will be essential in establishing the immunologic cause of sarcoidosis as a detailed phenotypic characterization of disease will be required. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A framework for institutionalizing quality assurance.

PubMed

Silimperi, Diana R; Franco, Lynne Miller; Veldhuyzen van Zanten, Tisna; MacAulay, Catherine

2002-12-01

To develop a framework to support the institutionalization of quality assurance (QA). The framework for institutionalizing QA consists of a model of eight essential elements and a 'roadmap' for the process of institutionalization. The essential elements are the building blocks required for implementing and sustaining QA activities. Core QA activities include defining, measuring and improving quality. The essential elements are grouped under three categories: the internal enabling environment (internal to the organization or system), organizing for quality, and support functions. The enabling environment contains the essential elements of leadership, policy, core values, and resources. Organizing for quality includes the structure for implementing QA. Three essential elements are primarily support functions: capacity building, communication and information, and rewarding quality. The model can be applied at the level of an organization or a system. The paper also describes the process of institutionalizing QA, starting from a state of preawareness, passing through four phases (awareness, experiential, expansion, and consolidation), and culminating in a state of maturity. The process is not linear; an organization may regress, vacillate between phases, or even remain stagnant. Some phases (e.g. awareness and experiential) may occur simultaneously. The framework has been introduced in nearly a dozen countries in Latin America and Africa. The conceptual model has been used to support strategic planning and directing Ministry of Health work plans, and also as a resource for determining the elements necessary to strengthen and sustain QA. The next step will be the development and evaluation of an assessment tool to monitor developmental progress in the institutionalization of QA.

A Critical Review of OSHA Heat Enforcement Cases: Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Arbury, Sheila; Lindsley, Matthew; Hodgson, Michael

2016-04-01

The aim of the study was to review the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) 2012 to 2013 heat enforcement cases, using identified essential elements of heat illness prevention to evaluate employers' programs and make recommendations to better protect workers from heat illness. (1) Identify essential elements of heat illness prevention; (2) develop data collection tool; and (3) analyze OSHA 2012 to 2013 heat enforcement cases. OSHA's database contains 84 heat enforcement cases in 2012 to 2013. Employer heat illness prevention programs were lacking in essential elements such as providing water and shade; adjusting the work/rest proportion to allow for workload and effective temperature; and acclimatizing and training workers. In this set of investigations, most employers failed to implement common elements of illness prevention programs. Over 80% clearly did not rely on national standard approaches to heat illness prevention.

Toxic and essential elements in butter from the Black Sea region, Turkey.

PubMed

Dervisoglu, Muhammet; Gul, Osman; Yazici, Fehmi; Guvenc, Dilek; Atmaca, Enes; Aksoy, Abdurrahman

2014-01-01

In this study, 88 randomly selected samples of butter produced in the Black Sea region of Turkey were purchased from different retail markets during different periods and investigated for toxic and essential elements content. Quantitative analyses of elements in the samples were performed using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Mean concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se and Zn in the butter samples were 18.93, 100.32, 384.66, 4199.1, 887.47, 168.64, 56.13, 16.34 and 384.66 µg kg(-1), respectively. Cd and Co were detected in 19 (mean content 0.29 µg kg(-1)) and 81 (mean content 3.81 µg kg(-1)) samples of 88 butter samples, respectively. However, the dietary intake of these elements by the population of the Black Sea region is currently well below the dietary reference intake (DRI) and provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) levels of essential and toxic elements.

Primary teachers' written unit plans in mathematics and their perceptions of essential elements of these

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, Anne; Clarke, Doug M.; Clarke, David J.; Sullivan, Peter

2014-12-01

The content and purpose of written unit plans in mathematics is an under-researched area. In this article, we provide a brief overview of research on teachers' planning processes and the place of mental and written plans. We report on data from a questionnaire completed by 357 teachers from Victorian Catholic primary schools, where we focused on possible elements of written unit plans for primary mathematics, and the relative importance which teachers attributed to these elements. We then discuss 48 written unit plans which were provided to us by primary schools from which the 357 teachers were drawn. There was considerable variation in the length, intended teaching time, and level of specification of key ideas in these plans. We discuss this variation, and some discrepancies between the ratings of teachers of the importance of certain elements and their presence in the plans we examined. We also suggest potentially productive areas of future enquiry.

Inheritance of seed iron and zinc concentrations in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Micronutrients are essential elements needed in small amounts for adequate human nutrition and include the elements iron and zinc. Both of these minerals are essential to human well-being, and an adequate supply of iron and zinc helps to prevent iron deficiency anemia and zinc deficiency, two preva...

Using the Fine Arts to Teach Early Childhood Essential Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Service Center Region 11, Ft. Worth, TX.

This extensive curriculum guide provides teachers of young children ages three to six with some specific lesson plans using the fine arts--music, drama, creative movement, and visual arts--to teach the "essential elements" in early childhood education. In addition, systematic, thorough evaluations of a variety of materials, kits, resource and…

Selenium fertilization on lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) grain yield, seed selenium concentration, and antioxidant activity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for mammals but has not been considered as an essential element for higher plants. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a cool season food legume rich in protein and a range of micronutrients including minerals (iron and zinc), folates, and carotenoids. The objecti...

Toxic and essential mineral elements content of black tea leaves and their tea infusions consumed in Iran.

PubMed

Salahinejad, Maryam; Aflaki, Fereydoon

2010-04-01

The metal contents of eleven black tea samples, four cultivated in Iran and seven imported, and their tea infusions were determined. Twelve elements consisting toxic metals (Al, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Ni) and essential mineral elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca, and Mg) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Al, Ca, Mg, and Mn ranged in black tea leaves at mg g(-1) levels, while Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn were at microg g(-1) levels. Analysis of variance showed no statistically significant differences among most elements determined in cultivated and imported black teas in Iran except for Ni and Cu. The extraction efficiency of each element into tea infusions was evaluated. The solubility of measured metals in infusion extracts varied widely and ranged from 0 to 59.3%. Among the studied elements, Cr, Pb, and Cd showed the lowest rates of solubility and Ni had the highest rates of solubility. The amount of toxic metals and essential mineral elements that one may take up through consumption of black tea infusion was estimated. The amount of realizing each element into tea infusions and acceptable daily intake, for safety consumption of black tea, was compared.

Magnesium-based biodegradable alloys: Degradation, application, and alloying elements

PubMed Central

Pogorielov, Maksym; Husak, Eugenia; Solodivnik, Alexandr; Zhdanov, Sergii

2017-01-01

In recent years, the paradigm about the metal with improved corrosion resistance for application in surgery and orthopedy was broken. The new class of biodegradable metal emerges as an alternative for biomedical implants. These metals corrode gradually with an appropriate host response and release of corrosion products. And it is absolutely necessary to use essential metals metabolized by hosting organism with local and general nontoxic effect. Magnesium serves this aim best; it plays the essential role in body metabolism and should be completely excreted within a few days after degradation. This review summarizes data from Mg discovery and its first experimental and clinical application of modern concept of Mg alloy development. We focused on biodegradable metal application in general surgery and orthopedic practice and showed the advantages and disadvantages Mg alloys offer. We focused on methods of in vitro and in vivo investigation of degradable Mg alloys and correlation between these methods. Based on the observed data, a better way for new alloy pre-clinical investigation is suggested. This review analyzes possible alloying elements that improve corrosion rate, mechanical properties, and gives the appropriate host response. PMID:28932493

Spatial and taxonomic variation in trace element bioaccumulation in two herbivores from a coal combustion waste contaminated stream.

PubMed

Fletcher, Dean E; Lindell, Angela H; Stillings, Garrett K; Mills, Gary L; Blas, Susan A; Vaun McArthur, J

2014-03-01

Dissimilarities in habitat use, feeding habits, life histories, and physiology can result in syntopic aquatic taxa of similar trophic position bioaccumulating trace elements in vastly different patterns. We compared bioaccumulation in a clam, Corbicula fluminea and mayfly nymph Maccaffertium modestum from a coal combustion waste contaminated stream. Collection sites differed in distance to contaminant sources, incision, floodplain activity, and sources of flood event water and organic matter. Contaminants variably accumulated in both sediment and biofilm. Bioaccumulation differed between species and sites with C. fluminea accumulating higher concentrations of Hg, Cs, Sr, Se, As, Be, and Cu, but M. modestum higher Pb and V. Stable isotope analyses suggested both spatial and taxonomic differences in resource use with greater variability and overlap between species in the more physically disturbed site. The complex but essential interactions between organismal biology, divergence in resource use, and bioaccumulation as related to stream habitat requires further studies essential to understand impacts of metal pollution on stream systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tips for Better Visual Elements in Posters and Podium Presentations

PubMed Central

Zerwic, JJ; Grandfield, K; Kavanaugh, K; Berger, B; Graham, L; Mershon, M

2010-01-01

Context The ability to effectively communicate through posters and podium presentations using appropriate visual content and style is essential for health care educators. Objectives To offer suggestions for more effective visual elements of posters and podium presentations. Methods We present the experiences of our multidisciplinary publishing group, whose combined experiences and collaboration have provided us with an understanding of what works and how to achieve success when working on presentations and posters. Many others would offer similar advice, as these guidelines are consistent with effective presentation. Findings/Suggestions Certain visual elements should be attended to in any visual presentation: consistency, alignment, contrast and repetition. Presentations should be consistent in font size and type, line spacing, alignment of graphics and text, and size of graphics. All elements should be aligned with at least one other element. Contrasting light background with dark text (and vice versa) helps an audience read the text more easily. Standardized formatting lets viewers know when they are looking at similar things (tables, headings, etc.). Using a minimal number of colors (four at most) helps the audience more easily read text. For podium presentations, have one slide for each minute allotted for speaking. The speaker is also a visual element; one should not allow the audience’s view of either the presentation or presenter to be blocked. Making eye contact with the audience also keeps them visually engaged. Conclusions Health care educators often share information through posters and podium presentations. These tips should help the visual elements of presentations be more effective. PMID:20853236

Mapping Perinatal Nursing Process Measurement Concepts to Standard Terminologies.

PubMed

Ivory, Catherine H

2016-07-01

The use of standard terminologies is an essential component for using data to inform practice and conduct research; perinatal nursing data standardization is needed. This study explored whether 76 distinct process elements important for perinatal nursing were present in four American Nurses Association-recognized standard terminologies. The 76 process elements were taken from a valid paper-based perinatal nursing process measurement tool. Using terminology-supported browsers, the elements were manually mapped to the selected terminologies by the researcher. A five-member expert panel validated 100% of the mapping findings. The majority of the process elements (n = 63, 83%) were present in SNOMED-CT, 28% (n = 21) in LOINC, 34% (n = 26) in ICNP, and 15% (n = 11) in CCC. SNOMED-CT and LOINC are terminologies currently recommended for use to facilitate interoperability in the capture of assessment and problem data in certified electronic medical records. Study results suggest that SNOMED-CT and LOINC contain perinatal nursing process elements and are useful standard terminologies to support perinatal nursing practice in electronic health records. Terminology mapping is the first step toward incorporating traditional paper-based tools into electronic systems.

Possible lin between elevated accumulation of trace elements and canine distemper virus infection in the Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) stranded in 2000 and 2001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinsuke, T.; Takashi, K.; Yasumi, A.; Tokutaka, I.; Reiji, K.

2003-05-01

In the Caspian Sea, a die-off of thousands of Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) occurred in 1997 and 2000. While a direct cause for these deaths seems to be canine distemper virus (CDV) infection, immunosuppression due to environmental pollutants is considered as one of the possible explanations for the development of the disease. The purpose of this work is to examine whether exposure to trace metals could be one of the factors involved in the mass mortality of Caspian seals. Concentrations of 13 trace elements weredetermined in liver, kidney and muscle of Caspian seals found stranded along the coasts of the Caspian Sea in 2000 and 2001. Concentrations of toxic elemen ts (Ag, Cd, Hg, Tl and Pb) in the Caspian seals collected in 2000 and 2001 were comparable to or lower than those in healthy Caspian seals collected in 1993 and 1998 and in seals from other regions, suggesting that these elements would not be the causative agent for the death of Caspian seals. In contrast, Zn and Fe concentrations in the stranded Caspian seals were apparently higher than those in seals from other locations. These results suggest the disturbance in homeostatic control and nutritional statu s of essential elements in the stranded Caspian seals.

Assessment of essential and nonessential dietary exposure to trace elements from homegrown foodstuffs in a polluted area in Makedonska Kamenica and the Kočani region (FYRM).

PubMed

Vrhovnik, Petra; Dolenec, Matej; Serafimovski, Todor; Tasev, Goran; Arrebola, Juan P

2016-07-15

The main purpose of the present study is to assess human dietary exposure to essential and non-essential trace elements via consumption of selected homegrown foodstuffs. Twelve essential and non-essential trace elements (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Zn and As) were detected in various homegrown foodstuffs. Detailed questionnaires were also applied among a sample of the local population to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics. The results of the present study clearly indicate that the majority of the trace elements are at highly elevated levels in the studied foodstuffs, in comparison to international recommendations. The maximum measured levels of ETE and NETE are as follows [μgkg(-1)]: Cd 873, Co 1370, Cu 21700, Cr 59633, Hg 26, Mo 6460, Ni14.5, Pb 11100, Sb 181, Se 0.30, Zn 102 and As 693. Additionally, age, body mass index and gender were significantly associated with levels of dietary exposure. Further research is warranted on the potential health implication of this exposure. The study merges the accumulation of ETE and NETE in home-grown foodstuffs and reflects considerably high health risks for inhabitants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analyses of Essential Elements and Heavy Metals by Using ICP-MS in Maternal Breast Milk from Şanlıurfa, Turkey.

PubMed

Kılıç Altun, Serap; Dinç, Hikmet; Temamoğulları, Füsun Karaçal; Paksoy, Nilgün

2018-01-01

Maternal breast milk is a unique biological matrix that contains essential micronutrients. Potentially heavy metals may also affect infants' health and growth through maternal breast milk. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the essential elements and heavy metals of maternal breast milk of nursery mothers residing in Şanlıurfa province, Turkey. Maternal breast milk concentrations of sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, and lead were analyzed in a random sample of the first time in urban and suburban nursery Turkish mothers ( n : 42). Eight essential elements and two heavy metals were analyzed using ICP-MS after microwave digestion. For bivariate analyses of variables, we use nonparametric Spearman's correlation coefficient test. The mean concentrations of essential elements and heavy metals were as follows: sodium 330 ± 417 mg/L, magnesium 32.6 ± 15.5 mg/L, phosphorus 156 ± 46.2 mg/L, potassium 488 ± 146 mg/L, calcium 193 ± 53.2 mg/L, iron 1.65 ± 1.43 mg/L, copper 0.54 ± 0.46 mg/L, zinc 2.89 ± 3.23 mg/L, arsenic < 1  μ g/L, and lead < 1  μ g/L. Concentrations of heavy metals in maternal breast milk may have the important implication that it is not affected by environmental pollution in this province. This study provides reliable information about maternal breast milk concentrations of nursery mothers residing in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, and also compares the relations between essential elements and socioeconomic conditions, residing areas, and using copper equipment for food preparation of which some have not previously been reported.

Analyses of Essential Elements and Heavy Metals by Using ICP-MS in Maternal Breast Milk from Şanlıurfa, Turkey

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Maternal breast milk is a unique biological matrix that contains essential micronutrients. Potentially heavy metals may also affect infants' health and growth through maternal breast milk. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the essential elements and heavy metals of maternal breast milk of nursery mothers residing in Şanlıurfa province, Turkey. Maternal breast milk concentrations of sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, arsenic, and lead were analyzed in a random sample of the first time in urban and suburban nursery Turkish mothers (n: 42). Eight essential elements and two heavy metals were analyzed using ICP-MS after microwave digestion. For bivariate analyses of variables, we use nonparametric Spearman's correlation coefficient test. The mean concentrations of essential elements and heavy metals were as follows: sodium 330 ± 417 mg/L, magnesium 32.6 ± 15.5 mg/L, phosphorus 156 ± 46.2 mg/L, potassium 488 ± 146 mg/L, calcium 193 ± 53.2 mg/L, iron 1.65 ± 1.43 mg/L, copper 0.54 ± 0.46 mg/L, zinc 2.89 ± 3.23 mg/L, arsenic < 1 μg/L, and lead < 1 μg/L. Concentrations of heavy metals in maternal breast milk may have the important implication that it is not affected by environmental pollution in this province. This study provides reliable information about maternal breast milk concentrations of nursery mothers residing in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, and also compares the relations between essential elements and socioeconomic conditions, residing areas, and using copper equipment for food preparation of which some have not previously been reported. PMID:29849639

Cyberbullying: the challenge to define.

PubMed

Langos, Colette

2012-06-01

Cyberbullying is a reality of the digital age. To address this phenomenon, it becomes imperative to understand exactly what cyberbullying is. Thus, establishing a workable and theoretically sound definition is essential. This article contributes to the existing literature in relation to the definition of cyberbullying. The specific elements of repetition, power imbalance, intention, and aggression, regarded as essential criteria of traditional face-to-face bullying, are considered in the cyber context. It is posited that the core bullying elements retain their importance and applicability in relation to cyberbullying. The element of repetition is in need of redefining, given the public nature of material in the online environment. In this article, a clear distinction between direct and indirect cyberbullying is made and a model definition of cyberbullying is offered. Overall, the analysis provided lends insight into how the essential bullying elements have evolved and should apply in our parallel cyber universe.

Assessment of total soil and plant trace elements in rice-based production systems in NE Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bini, Claudio; Nadimi-Goki, Mandana; Kato, Yoichi; Vianello, Gilmo; Vittori, Livia; Wahsha, Mohammad; Spiandorello, Massimo

2014-05-01

Macro- and micronutrients concentrations, and PTEs contents in soils and plants (rice) from the rice district in the Venetian territory (NE Italy) have been determined by ICP-MS spectrometry, with the following aims: - to determine the background levels of macro- and microelements in the study area; - to assess possible contamination of soils and plants; - to calculate the Translocation Factor (TF) of metals from soil to plant, and the possible hazard for human health. Four rice plots with different rotation systems were investigated from seedling time to harvesting; sampling of soils (0-30cm) and plants was carried out 4 times during growing season (three replicates). Rice plants were separated into roots, stems, leaves and grains, and then oven-dried. Chemical and physical analyses were carried out at the Soil Science Lab of the University of Bologna and Venice, respectively. The results obtained point to a land with moderate soil contamination by trace elements (namely Li, Sn, Tl, Sr, Ti, Fe). Heavy metal (Sb, As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, V, Zn ) concentrations in soils are below the threshold indicated by the Italian legislation (DM 152/2006). Cd, Sn, and Ti contents in soils are positively correlated with soil pH, while As, Fe, Li, Ti, Tl and Zn are negatively correlated with organic matter content. With the exception of Strontium, soil metal contents are always correlated between variable couples. HMs in plants vary according to the sampling season, texture and moisture, and soil pH. Most non-essential trace elements are accumulated in rice roots and, only in cases of essential micronutrients, in leaves. Therefore, rice can be assumed as an accumulator plant of As, Pb, Cr, Ba, and Ti, whereas it is as an indicator plant for Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn and Zn. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that soil pH has a larger effect on Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ti and Zn concentrations in grain than other soil parameters. The average translocation of metals from soil to root was found to be >1, irrespective of the essential/not essential function; conversely, only essential elements ((Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) are translocated rather easily from roots to leaves (TF ≤1) via phloem (TF< <1), and very little translocated to grains (TF< <1). Therefore, it is suggested that rice could be useful in contaminated-sites restoration projects by the phytostabilization technique. Moreover, there is very limited hazard for human population consuming rice crops. Key Words: Macro- and micronutrients concentrations, heavy metals, trace elements, rice plant, Italy, accumulator plant, indicator plant * Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 3891356251 E-mail address: mandy.nadimi@gmail.com

Promoting the Essential Elements of 4-H Youth Development through an Experiential Learning Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Shelley; Jones, Kenneth R.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the project reported here was to apply Experiential Learning Theory to a context involving middle and high school aged youth while assessing the four concepts (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity) in relation to the 4-H youth development essential elements. The conclusions of the project's evaluation suggest…

Validity Evidence for the Interpretation and Use of Essential Elements of Communication Global Rating Scale Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Nancy Rhoda

2015-01-01

Purpose. Clinical communication influences health outcomes, so medical schools are charged to prepare future physicians with the skills they need to interact effectively with patients. Communication leaders at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNMSOM) developed The Essential Elements of Communication-Global Rating Scale (EEC-GRS) to…

What are the Essential Elements to Enable Patient Participation in Medical Decision Making?

PubMed Central

McGraw, Sarah

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND Patient participation in shared decision making (SDM) results in increased patient knowledge, adherence, and improved outcomes. Despite the benefits of the SDM model, many patients do not attain the level of participation they desire. OBJECTIVE To gain a more complete understanding of the essential elements, or the prerequisites, critical to active patient participation in medical decision making from the patient’s perspective. DESIGN Qualitative study. SETTING Individual, in-depth patient interviews were conducted until thematic saturation was reached. Two analysts independently read the transcripts and jointly developed a list of codes. PATIENTS Twenty-six consecutive subjects drawn from community dwelling subjects undergoing bone density measurements. MEASUREMENTS Respondents’ experiences and beliefs related to patient participation in SDM. RESULTS Five elements were repeatedly described by respondents as being essential to enable patient participation in medical decision making: (1) patient knowledge, (2) explicit encouragement of patient participation by physicians, (3) appreciation of the patient’s responsibility/rights to play an active role in decision making, (4) awareness of choice, and (5) time. LIMITATIONS The generalizability of the results is limited by the homogeneity of the study sample. CONCLUSIONS Our findings have important clinical implications and suggest that several needs must be met before patients can become active participants in decisions related to their health care. These needs include ensuring that patients (1) appreciate that there is uncertainty in medicine and “buy in” to the importance of active patient participation in decisions related to their health care, (2) understand the trade-offs related to available options, and (3) have the opportunity to discuss these options with their physician to arrive at a decision concordant with their values. PMID:17443368

Vertical Transmission of the Retrotransposable Elements R1 and R2 during the Evolution of the Drosophila Melanogaster Species Subgroup

PubMed Central

Eickbush, D. G.; Eickbush, T. H.

1995-01-01

R1 and R2 are non-long-terminal repeat retrotransposable elements that insert into specific sequences of insect 28S ribosomal RNA genes. These elements have been extensively described in Drosophila melanogaster. To determine whether these elements have been horizontally or vertically transmitted, we characterized R1 and R2 elements from the seven other members of the melanogaster species subgroup by genomic blotting and nucleotide sequencing. Each species was found to have homogeneous families of R1 and R2 elements with the exception of erecta and orena, which have no R2 elements. The DNA sequences of multiple R1 and R2 copies from each species indicated nucleotide divergence within each species averaged only 0.48% for R1 and 0.35% for R2, well below the level of divergence among the species. Most copies of R1 and R2 (40 of 47) sequenced from the seven species were potentially functional, as indicated by the absence of premature termination codons or translational frameshifts that would destroy the open reading frame of the element. The sequence relationships of both the R1 and R2 elements from the various members of the melanogaster subgroup closely followed that of the species phylogeny, suggesting that R1 and R2 have been stably maintained by vertical transmission since the origin of this species subgroup 17-20 million years ago. The remarkable stability of R1 and R2, compared to what has been suggested for transposable elements that insert at multiple locations in these same species, may be due to their unique specificity for sites in the rRNA gene locus. Under low copy number conditions, when it is essential for any mobile element to transpose, the insertion specificities of R1 and R2 ensure uniform developmentally regulated target sites that can be occupied with little or no detrimental effect on the host. PMID:7713424

Quality of inguinal hernia operative reports: room for improvement

PubMed Central

Ma, Grace W.; Pooni, Amandeep; Forbes, Shawn S.; Eskicioglu, Cagla; Pearsall, Emily; Brenneman, Fred D.; McLeod, Robin S.

2013-01-01

Background Operative reports (ORs) serve as the official documentation of surgical procedures. They are essential for optimal patient care, physician accountability and billing, and direction for clinical research and auditing. Nonstandardized narrative reports are often of poor quality and lacking in detail. We sought to audit the completeness of narrative inguinal hernia ORs. Methods A standardized checklist for inguinal hernia repair (IHR) comprising 33 variables was developed by consensus of 4 surgeons. Five high-volume IHR surgeons categorized items as essential, preferable or nonessential. We audited ORs for open IHR at 6 academic hospitals. Results We audited 213 ORs, and we excluded 7 femoral hernia ORs. Tension-free repairs were the most common (82.5%), and the plug-and-patch technique was the most frequent (52.9%). Residents dictated 59% of ORs. Of 33 variables, 15 were considered essential and, on average, 10.8 ± 1.3 were included. Poorly reported elements included first occurrence versus recurrent repair (8.3%), small bowel viability in incarcerated hernias (10.7%) and occurrence of intraoperative complications (32.5%). Of 18 nonessential elements, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, preoperative antibiotics and urgency were reported in 1.9%, 11.7% and 24.3% of ORs, respectively. Repair-specific details were reported in 0 to 97.1% of ORs, including patch sutured to tubercle (55.1%) and location of plug (67.0%). Conclusion Completeness of IHR ORs varied with regards to essential and nonessential items but were generally incomplete, suggesting there is opportunity for improvement, including implementation of a standardized synoptic OR. PMID:24284146

Determination of essential and toxic elements in clay soil commonly consumed by pregnant women in Tanzania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mwalongo, D.; Mohammed, N. K.

2013-10-01

A habit of eating clay soil especially among pregnant women is a common practice in Tanzania. This practice known as geophagy might introduce toxic elements in the consumer's body to endanger the health of the mother and her child. Therefore it is very important to have information on the elemental composition of the eaten soil so as to assess the safety nature of the habit. In this study 100 samples of clay soil, which were reported to be originating from five regions in Tanzania and are consumed by pregnant women were analyzed to determine their levels of essential and toxic elements. The analysis was carried out using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescent technique (EDXRF) of Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Arusha. Essential elements Fe, Zn, Cu, Se and Mn and toxic elements As, Pb, Co, Ni, U and Th were detected in concentrations above WHO permissible limits in some of the samples. The results from this study show that the habit of eating soil is exposing the pregnant mothers and their children to metal toxicity which is detrimental to their health. Hence, further actions should be taken to discourage the habit of eating soil at all levels.

Trace Elements in Parenteral Nutrition: Considerations for the Prescribing Clinician

PubMed Central

Jin, Jennifer; Mulesa, Leanne; Carrilero Rouillet, Mariana

2017-01-01

Trace elements (TEs) are an essential component of parenteral nutrition (PN). Over the last few decades, there has been increased experience with PN, and with this knowledge more information about the management of trace elements has become available. There is increasing awareness of the effects of deficiencies and toxicities of certain trace elements. Despite this heightened awareness, much is still unknown in terms of trace element monitoring, the accuracy of different assays, and current TE contamination of solutions. The supplementation of TEs is a complex and important part of the PN prescription. Understanding the role of different disease states and the need for reduced or increased doses is essential. Given the heterogeneity of the PN patients, supplementation should be individualized. PMID:28452962

Trace Elements in Parenteral Nutrition: Considerations for the Prescribing Clinician.

PubMed

Jin, Jennifer; Mulesa, Leanne; Carrilero Rouillet, Mariana

2017-04-28

Trace elements (TEs) are an essential component of parenteral nutrition (PN). Over the last few decades, there has been increased experience with PN, and with this knowledge more information about the management of trace elements has become available. There is increasing awareness of the effects of deficiencies and toxicities of certain trace elements. Despite this heightened awareness, much is still unknown in terms of trace element monitoring, the accuracy of different assays, and current TE contamination of solutions. The supplementation of TEs is a complex and important part of the PN prescription. Understanding the role of different disease states and the need for reduced or increased doses is essential. Given the heterogeneity of the PN patients, supplementation should be individualized.

The fundamental nature of life as a chemical system: the part played by inorganic elements.

PubMed

Williams, Robert J P

2002-02-01

In this article we show why inorganic metal elements from the environment were an essential part of the origin of living aqueous systems of chemicals in flow. Unavoidably such systems have many closely fixed parameters, related to thermodynamic binding constants, for the interaction of the essential exchangeable inorganic metal elements with both inorganic and organic non-metal materials. The binding constants give rise to fixed free metal ion concentration profiles for different metal ions and ligands in the cytoplasm of all cells closely related to the Irving-Williams series. The amounts of bound elements depend on the organic molecules present as well as these free ion concentrations. This system must have predated coding which is probably only essential for reproductive life. Later evolution in changing chemical environments became based on the development of extra cytoplasmic compartments containing quite different energised free (and bound) element contents but in feed-back communication with the central primitive cytoplasm which changed little. Hence species multiplied late in evolution in large part due to the coupling with the altered inorganic environment.

Essential elements of self-help/minimal intervention strategies for smoking cessation.

PubMed

Glynn, T J; Boyd, G M; Gruman, J C

1990-01-01

Two decades of research suggest that self-help/minimal intervention strategies for smoking cessation may be the preferred means by which smokers stop and can produce success rates approximating those of more formal programs, at lower cost and with greater access to relevant populations. In order to make the best possible use of these self-help/minimal intervention approaches, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported a series of randomized, controlled intervention trials and, in June of 1988, convened an Expert Advisory Panel to address the question "What are the essential elements of self-help/minimal intervention strategies for smoking cessation?". The panel's recommendations were that: (1) Intervention efforts should focus on increasing smokers' motivations to make serious quit attempts; (2) Delivery of programs be broadened to include all smokers; (3) Programs be targeted to stages of cessation and specific populations; (4) All programs include (a) elements focused on health and social consequences of smoking, and (b) strategies and exercises aimed at quitting, maintenance of nonsmoking, relapse prevention, and recycling; (5) Materials and programs be made widely available rather than "fine tuning" existing programs or developing new ones; and (6) Programs make use of specific adjunctive strategies. In this way, a reacceleration of the decline in smoking prevalence may be realized in the 1990s and significantly contribute to the NCI's Year 2000 goals and the Surgeon General's aim of a smoke-free society.

Sustainability evaluation of essential critical raw materials: cobalt, niobium, tungsten and rare earth elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkaczyk, A. H.; Bartl, A.; Amato, A.; Lapkovskis, V.; Petranikova, M.

2018-05-01

The criticality of raw materials has become an important issue in recent years. As the supply of certain raw materials is essential for technologically-advanced economies, the European Commission and other international counterparts have started several initiatives to secure reliable and unhindered access to raw materials. Such efforts include the EU Raw Materials Initiative, European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials, US Critical Materials Institute, and others. In this paper, the authors present a multi-faceted and multi-national review of the essentials for the critical raw materials (CRMs) Co, Nb, W, and rare earth elements (REEs). The selected CRMs are of specific interest as they are considered relevant for emerging technologies and will thus continue to be of increasing major economic importance. This paper presents a ‘sustainability evaluation’ for each element, including essential data about markets, applications and recycling, and possibilities for substitution have been summarized and analysed. All the presented elements are vital for the advanced materials and processes upon which modern societies rely. These elements exhibit superior importance in ‘green’ applications and products subject to severe conditions. The annual production quantities are quite low compared to common industrial metals. Of the considered CRMs, only Co and REE gross production exceed 100 000 t. At the same time, the prices are quite high, with W and Nb being in the range of 60 USD kg‑1 and some rare earth compounds costing almost 4000 USD kg‑1. Despite valiant effort, in practice some of the considered elements are de facto irreplaceable for many specialized applications, at today’s technological level. Often, substitution causes a significant loss of quality and performance. Furthermore, possible candidates for substitution may be critical themselves or available in considerably low quantities. It can be concluded that one preferred approach for the investigated elements could be the use of secondary resources derived from recycling. W exhibits the highest recycling rate (37%), whereas Co (16%), Nb (11%) and rare earths (~0%) lag behind. In order to promote recycling of these essential elements, financial incentives as well as an improvement of recycling technologies would be required.

Evaluation of some essential element levels in thalassemia major patients in Mosul district, Iraq.

PubMed

Al-Samarrai, Abdulmunaim H; Adaay, Mohaisen H; Al-Tikriti, Khudhair A; Al-Anzy, Muayed M

2008-01-01

To evaluate the levels of some essential elements in thalassemic patients in Mosul, Iraq. One hundred and five thalassemic blood transfusion dependent children, 2.5-18 years of age attending Ibn-Al-Atheer teaching hospital in Mosul City, Iraq, during 2005, were used in this study. Fifty-four healthy subjects served as a control group. Patients were allocated in a non-randomized prospective cross-sectional hospital based study. Essential elements levels were estimated. The mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and z-test were used. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Low serum zinc, and magnesium, and high serum copper, and potassium levels were found among the 105 thalassemic patients compared to the 54 controls. Levels of calcium, phosphate, and sodium were within normal limits. Fluctuations in the essential elements levels seem to be related to the different complications associated with the disease. Zinc deficiency may be attributed to hyperzincuria resulted from the release of Zn from hemolyzed red cells. Hypercupremia occurs in acute and chronic infections and hemochromatosis, which is a principal complication of thalassemia. Increased Na levels may be due to renal damage. Hypomagnesemia may occur due to hypoparathyroidism.

Mineral elements and essential oil contents of Scutellaria luteo-caerulea Bornm. & Snit

PubMed Central

Nikbin, Mohammad; Kazemipour, Nasrin; Maghsoodlou, Malek Taher; Valizadeh, Jafar; Sepehrimanesh, Masood; Davarimanesh, Amene

2014-01-01

Objective: Scutellaria luteo-caerulea Bornm. & Snit. is one of the species of genus Scutellaria, within the family of the Lamiaceae, that is used for immune system stimulation and antibacterial effects in traditional medicine in Iran. The aims of this study were to analyze essential oils and mineral element contents of leaves of S. luteo-caerulea in flowering stage of development. Materials and Methods: The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves of S. luteo-caerulea and were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Moreover, microwave digestion with atomic absorption spectrophotometry were used for the mineral elements assay. Results: Ninety-seven constituents were detected. Between them, the major components were trans-caryophyllene (25.4%), D-germacrene (7.9%), and linalool (7.4%). Determination of mineral elements showed that the highest minerals were Ca2+ (65.14±1.95 µg/ml) and K+ (64.67±3.10 µg/ml). Conclusion: Presence of different essential oils and rich sources of Ca2+ and K+ candidate this plant as an auxiliary medication in different diseases, but more complementary researches are needed about its potency and side effects. PMID:25050316

Environmental monitoring of the area surrounding oil wells in Val d'Agri (Italy): element accumulation in bovine and ovine organs.

PubMed

Miedico, Oto; Iammarino, Marco; Paglia, Giuseppe; Tarallo, Marina; Mangiacotti, Michele; Chiaravalle, A Eugenio

2016-06-01

In this work, environmental heavy metal contamination in the Val d'Agri area of Southern Italy was monitored, measuring the accumulation of 18 heavy metals (U, Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Sr, Sn, V, Ni, Cr, Mo, Co, Cu, Zn, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Al) in the organs of animals raised in the surrounding area (kidney, lung, and liver of bovine and ovine species). Val d'Agri features various oil processing centers which are potentially a significant source of environmental pollution, making it essential to perform studies that will outline the state of the art on which any recovery plans and interventions may be developed. The analysis was carried out using official and accredited analytical methods based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the measurements were statistically processed in order to give a contribution to risk assessment. Even though five samples showed Pb and Cd concentrations above the limits defined in the European Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, the mean concentrations of most elements suggest that contamination in this area is low. Consequently, these results also suggest that there is no particular risk for human exposure to toxic trace elements. Nevertheless, the findings of this work confirm that element accumulation in ovine species is correlated with geographical livestock area. Therefore, ovine-specific organs might be used as bioindicators for monitoring contamination by specific toxic elements in exposed areas.

Elements in whole blood of Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus) in Alaska: No evidence for an association with beak deformities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M.

2016-01-01

A recent outbreak of beak deformities among resident birds in Alaska has raised concern about environmental contamination as a possible underlying factor. We measured whole blood concentrations of 30 essential and nonessential elements to determine whether any were associated with beak deformities in Northwestern Crows (Corvus caurinus). We tested for differences between 1) adults with versus those without beak deformities and 2) unaffected adults versus juveniles. Crows with beak deformities had slightly higher levels of barium, molybdenum, and vanadium (all P<0.05), but concentrations were generally low and within the range of values reported from other apparently healthy wild birds. Concentrations of several elements, including selenium, were higher in birds without versus birds with beak deformities (all P<0.05), a difference that may be explained in part by compromised foraging ability associated with the deformities. Adult crows had higher concentrations of cadmium, silicon, and zinc than juveniles (all P<0.05), although differences were relatively small and values were similar to those from other wild birds. Our results suggest that neither selenium nor other tested elements are likely to be causing beak deformities in Alaskan crows. We also provide the first data on elemental concentrations in Northwestern Crows. Levels of selenium far exceeded those typically found in passerine birds and were similar to those in marine-associated waterfowl, suggesting that background levels should be interpreted relative to a species's environment.

Use of human milk in the assessment of toxic metal exposure and essential element status in breastfeeding women and their infants in coastal Croatia.

PubMed

Grzunov Letinić, Judita; Matek Sarić, Marijana; Piasek, Martina; Jurasović, Jasna; Varnai, Veda Marija; Sulimanec Grgec, Antonija; Orct, Tatjana

2016-12-01

Pregnant and lactating women and infants are vulnerable population groups for adverse effects of toxic metals due to their high nutritional needs and the resultant increased gastrointestinal absorption of both, essential and toxic elements. Although breastfeeding is recommended for infants worldwide, as human milk is the best source of nutrients and other required bioactive factors, it is also a pathway of maternal excretion of toxic substances including toxic metals and thus a source of infant exposure. The aim of this research was to assess health risks in breastfeeding women in the coastal area of the Republic of Croatia and their infants (N=107) due to maternal exposure to Cd and Pb via cigarette smoking, and Hg via seafood and dental amalgam fillings, and their interaction with essential elements. Biological markers of exposure were the concentrations of main toxic metals Pb, Cd and Hg in maternal blood and three types of breast milk throughout lactation stages. Biological markers of effects were the levels of essential elements Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in maternal serum and breast milk. With regard to cigarette smoking as a source of exposure to Cd and Pb, there were effects of smoking on Cd concentration in blood and correlations between the smoking index and Cd concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.593; P<0.001) and mature milk (ρ=0.271; P=0.011) and Pb concentration in transitional milk (ρ=0.280; P=0.042). Regarding fish, we found correlations between weekly consumption frequency and total Hg concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.292; P=0.003) and mature milk (ρ=0.303; P=0.003). The number of dental amalgam fillings correlated with total Hg concentrations in colostrum (ρ=0.489; P=0.005) and transitional milk (ρ=0.309; P=0.018). As for the essential element status, only Se levels in maternal serum decreased by 10% in persons who continued smoking during pregnancy compared to non-smokers. In conclusion, the levels of main toxic metals Cd, Pb and Hg and essential elements Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in maternal blood and three types of breast milk samples in the studied area of coastal Croatia showed no risk of disrupted essential element levels with regard of toxic metal exposure in both breastfeeding women and their infants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

"Take in two parks and call me in the morning" - Perception of parks as an essential component of our healthcare system.

PubMed

Mowen, A J; Barrett, A G; Graefe, A R; Kraschnewski, J L; Sciamanna, C N

2017-06-01

As a feature of the built neighborhood environment, parks have been associated with a range of positive health outcomes. Recognition of these contributions has prompted advocates to suggest parks are a part of our healthcare system. Despite these developments, park investments have declined over the past decade nationally, lagging behind expenditures on other community services such as health. Perhaps the idea of parks as a solution to the nation's health concerns has not diffused across the population. To date, however, public perception of parks' role in healthcare has not been documented. This study responds to this gap by assessing whether parks are perceived as an essential part of the healthcare system. Self-administered surveys were completed by a statewide sample of Pennsylvania adults (2014) and by a sample of primary care clinic visitors in Hershey, Pennsylvania (2015). Participants from both studies were asked the extent they agreed with the following statement: Parks, trails, and open space are an essential component of our healthcare system. Response was also compared across demographic characteristics to assess whether this belief was universally held. Findings indicate 73% of the statewide sample and 68% of the clinical sample agreed parks, trails, and open space are an essential element of the healthcare system. Males, those with lower levels of educational attainment, and rural residents were statistically less likely to agree with this statement. Results indicate widespread belief in parks as an essential part of the healthcare system, suggesting consideration of health-sector investments in these settings.

Ternary Complex Factors and Cofactors Are Essential for Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Tax Transactivation of the Serum Response Element

PubMed Central

Shuh, Maureen; Derse, David

2000-01-01

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax protein activates the expression of cellular immediate early genes controlled by the serum response element (SRE), which contains both the serum response factor (SRF) binding element (CArG box) and the ternary complex factor (TCF) binding element (Ets box). We show that TCF binding is necessary for Tax activation of the SRE and that Tax directly interacts with TCFs in vitro. In addition, Tax interactions with CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300- and CBP-associated factor were found to be essential for Tax activation of SRF-mediated transcription. PMID:11070040

The essential gene set of a photosynthetic organism

DOE PAGES

Rubin, Benjamin E.; Wetmore, Kelly M.; Price, Morgan N.; ...

2015-10-27

Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 is a model organism used for studying photosynthesis and the circadian clock, and it is being developed for the production of fuel, industrial chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. To identify a comprehensive set of genes and intergenic regions that impacts fitness in S. elongatus, we created a pooled library of ~250,000 transposon mutants and used sequencing to identify the insertion locations. By analyzing the distribution and survival of these mutants, we identified 718 of the organism's 2,723 genes as essential for survival under laboratory conditions. The validity of the essential gene set is supported by its tight overlapmore » with wellconserved genes and its enrichment for core biological processes. The differences noted between our dataset and these predictors of essentiality, however, have led to surprising biological insights. One such finding is that genes in a large portion of the TCA cycle are dispensable, suggesting that S. elongatus does not require a cyclic TCA process. Furthermore, the density of the transposon mutant library enabled individual and global statements about the essentiality of noncoding RNAs, regulatory elements, and other intergenic regions. In this way, a group I intron located in tRNA Leu , which has been used extensively for phylogenetic studies, was shown here to be essential for the survival of S. elongatus. Our survey of essentiality for every locus in the S. elongatus genome serves as a powerful resource for understanding the organism's physiology and defines the essential gene set required for the growth of a photosynthetic organism.« less

Determination of essential and toxic elements in Cordyceps kyushuensis Kawam by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Guoying; Zhao, Yanxin; Liu, Fengjun; Ling, Jianya; Lin, Jianqiang; Zhang, Changkai

2013-01-01

In this study, a total of 20 elements (essential, non-essential and toxic): lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), gallium (Ga), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), barium (Ba), tin (Sn), arsenic (As), lead (Pb) cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) in natural and cultured Cordyceps kyushuensis have been determined by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Cultured stroma, natural stroma and natural worm were digested by microwave-assisted method before analysis. The proposed ICP-MS method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material (CRM) GBW10015 (spinach). The results of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the element concentrations in the three kinds of samples were significantly different (p<0.05). Except for Mg, Zn, Cu, the values of other elemental contents were the highest in the stroma of natural C. kyushuensis. In comparison with the worm, the concentrations of determined elements in wild stroma were higher. The remarkable difference of elemental contents between cultured and natural stroma may be caused by distinct growing environment. This finding highlighted the usefulness of ICP-MS elemental analysis and enhanced the value of C. kyushuensis as a candidate for nourishing food based on its composition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ICP-MS: Analytical Method for Identification and Detection of Elemental Impurities.

PubMed

Mittal, Mohini; Kumar, Kapil; Anghore, Durgadas; Rawal, Ravindra K

2017-01-01

Aim of this article is to review and discuss the currently used quantitative analytical method ICP-MS, which is used for quality control of pharmaceutical products. ICP-MS technique has several applications such as determination of single elements, multi element analysis in synthetic drugs, heavy metals in environmental water, trace element content of selected fertilizers and dairy manures. ICP-MS is also used for determination of toxic and essential elements in different varieties of food samples and metal pollutant present in the environment. The pharmaceuticals may generate impurities at various stages of development, transportation and storage which make them risky to be administered. Thus, it is essential that these impurities must be detected and quantified. ICP-MS plays an important function in the recognition and revealing of elemental impurities. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Profiling Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) of Family Health History based on the Clinical Element Models.

PubMed

Lee, Jaehoon; Hulse, Nathan C; Wood, Grant M; Oniki, Thomas A; Huff, Stanley M

2016-01-01

In this study we developed a Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) profile to support exchanging a full pedigree based family health history (FHH) information across multiple systems and applications used by clinicians, patients, and researchers. We used previously developed clinical element models (CEMs) that are capable of representing the FHH information, and derived essential data elements including attributes, constraints, and value sets. We analyzed gaps between the FHH CEM elements and existing FHIR resources. Based on the analysis, we developed a profile that consists of 1) FHIR resources for essential FHH data elements, 2) extensions for additional elements that were not covered by the resources, and 3) a structured definition to integrate patient and family member information in a FHIR message. We implemented the profile using an open-source based FHIR framework and validated it using patient-entered FHH data that was captured through a locally developed FHH tool.

[Investigation of metal element content of some European and Far Eastern herbs].

PubMed

Süle, Krisztina; Kurucz, Dóra; Kajári, Ágnes; May, Zoltán

2015-08-02

Metal elements and their excess intake have significant influence on general health. There is only little information how Far Eastern herbs resemble European's regarding their purity and essential metal element content. The aim of the authors was to determine metal elements in different Chinese and European herbs and extracts. The studied European herbs included Calendula officinalis petals, Achillea millefolium, Epilobium parviflorum herba, Urtica dioica leaves, Crataegus monogyna flowers while Far Eastern herbs were Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, Ginkgo biloba leaves, Panax ginseng and Curcuma longa roots. The analysis was performed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. There was no considerable difference in essential metal elements and the Ca:Mg concentration ratio between European and Far Eastern drugs and extracts. The extracts are preferential metal element sources and their magnesium content are also advantageous, because of a shift of the Ca:Mg concentration ratio towards magnesium.

Impact of Sahara dust transport on Cape Verde atmospheric element particles.

PubMed

Almeida-Silva, M; Almeida, S M; Freitas, M C; Pio, C A; Nunes, T; Cardoso, J

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) conduct an elemental characterization of airborne particles sampled in Cape Verde and (2) assess the influence of Sahara desert on local suspended particles. Particulate matter (PM(10)) was collected in Praia city (14°94'N; 23°49'W) with a low-volume sampler in order to characterize its chemical composition by k0-INAA. The filter samples were first weighed and subsequently irradiated at the Portuguese Research Reactor. Results showed that PM(10) concentrations in Cape Verde markedly exceeded the health-based air quality standards defined by the European Union (EU), World Health Organization (WHO), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in part due to the influence of Sahara dust transport. The PM(10) composition was characterized essentially by high concentrations of elements originating from the soil (K, Sm, Co, Fe, Sc, Rb, Cr, Ce, and Ba) and sea (Na), and low concentrations of anthropogenic elements (As, Zn, and Sb). In addition, the high concentrations of PM measured in Cape Verde suggest that health of the population may be less affected compared with other sites where PM(10) concentrations are lower but more enriched with toxic elements.

The distribution of macronutrients, anti-nutrients and essential elements in nettles, Laportea peduncularis susp. peduncularis (River nettle) and Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle).

PubMed

Mahlangeni, Nomfundo T; Moodley, Roshila; Jonnalagadda, Sreekantha B

2016-01-01

Laportea peduncularis and Urtica dioica, which are popularly known as "Nettles" belong to the plant family Urticaceae and are consumed as green vegetables or used for their medicinal benefit in many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and America. This study aimed at investigating the effect of cooking on the macronutrient, anti-nutrient and elemental composition of L. peduncularis and U. dioica leaves. The results showed a decrease in the crude fat, ash, carbohydrate and vitamin C content with cooking, but an increase in the vitamin E content. The anti-nutrient content (cyanides, phytates and saponins) increased slightly with cooking, while the oxalate content has decreased. The concentration of essential elements in cooked L. peduncularis leaves were found to be in decreasing order of Ca > Mg > Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Co. Both raw and cooked leaves of nettles were found to be rich sources of macronutrients and essential elements and may be used as alternatives to commercially available nutrient supplements. Statistical analyses (principal component analysis and correlations) indicated that certain elements taken up by these plants were from common sources. Both positive and negative relationships between nutrients, anti-nutrients and elements were observed in the plant leaves.

NETL’s Rare Earth Elements Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The National Energy Technology Laboratory has established a Rare Earth Elements (REE) program. REEs are a series of 17 chemical elements found in the Earth’s crust. They are an essential component to technology, health care, transportation and national defense.

Hybridogenesis and a potential case of R2 non-LTR retrotransposon horizontal transmission in Bacillus stick insects (Insecta Phasmida).

PubMed

Scavariello, Claudia; Luchetti, Andrea; Martoni, Francesco; Bonandin, Livia; Mantovani, Barbara

2017-02-06

Horizontal transfer (HT) is an event in which the genetic material is transferred from one species to another, even if distantly related, and it has been demonstrated as a possible essential part of the lifecycle of transposable elements (TEs). However, previous studies on the non-LTR R2 retrotransposon, a metazoan-wide distributed element, indicated its vertical transmission since the Radiata-Bilateria split. Here we present the first possible instances of R2 HT in stick insects of the genus Bacillus (Phasmida). Six R2 elements were characterized in the strictly bisexual subspecies B. grandii grandii, B. grandii benazzii and B. grandii maretimi and in the obligatory parthenogenetic taxon B. atticus. These elements were compared with those previously retrieved in the facultative parthenogenetic species B. rossius. Phylogenetic inconsistencies between element and host taxa, and age versus divergence analyses agree and support at least two HT events. These HT events can be explained by taking into consideration the complex Bacillus reproductive biology, which includes also hybridogenesis, gynogenesis and androgenesis. Through these non-canonical reproductive modes, R2 elements may have been transferred between Bacillus genomes. Our data suggest, therefore, a possible role of hybridization for TEs survival and the consequent reshaping of involved genomes.

Coal fly ash-slag-based geopolymers: microstructure and metal leaching.

PubMed

Izquierdo, Maria; Querol, Xavier; Davidovits, Joseph; Antenucci, Diano; Nugteren, Henk; Fernández-Pereira, Constantino

2009-07-15

This study deals with the use of fly ash as a starting material for geopolymeric matrices. The leachable concentrations of geopolymers were compared with those of the starting fly ash to evaluate the retention of potentially harmful elements within the geopolymer matrix. Geopolymer matrices give rise to a leaching scenario characterised by a highly alkaline environment, which inhibits the leaching of heavy metals but may enhance the mobilization of certain oxyanionic species. Thus, fly ash-based geopolymers were found to immobilize a number of trace pollutants such as Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Nb, Ni, Pb, Sn, Th, U, Y, Zr and rare earth elements. However, the leachable levels of elements occurring in their oxyanionic form such as As, B, Mo, Se, V and W were increased after geopolymerization. This suggests that an optimal dosage, synthesis and curing conditions are essential in order to obtain a long-term stable final product that ensures an efficient physical encapsulation.

Accumulation of K{sup +} and Cs{sup +} in Tropical Plant Species

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velasco, H.; Rizzotto, M.; Lacerda, T.

2010-08-04

Concentrations of K{sup +} and {sup 137}Cs{sup +} in tissues of the Citrus aurantifolia were measured both by gamma spectrometry and neutron activation analysis, aiming to understand the behavior of monovalent inorganic cations in plants as well as its capability to store these elements. In contrast to K{sup +},Cs{sup +} ions are not essential elements to plants, what might explain the difference in bioavailability. However, our results have shown that {sup 137}Cs{sup +} is positively correlated to {sup 40}K{sup +} concentration within tropical plant species, suggesting that these elements might be assimilated in a similar way, and that they passmore » through the biological cycle together. A simple mathematical model was also proposed to describe the temporal evolution of {sup 40}K activity concentration in such tropical woody fruit species. This model exhibited close agreement with the {sup 40}K experimental results in the fruit ripening processes of lemon trees.« less

Use of Iodine to Biofortify and Promote Growth and Stress Tolerance in Crops

PubMed Central

Medrano-Macías, Julia; Leija-Martínez, Paola; González-Morales, Susana; Juárez-Maldonado, Antonio; Benavides-Mendoza, Adalberto

2016-01-01

Iodine is not considered essential for land plants; however, in some aquatic plants, iodine plays a critical role in antioxidant metabolism. In humans, iodine is essential for the metabolism of the thyroid and for the development of cognitive abilities, and it is associated with lower risks of developing certain types of cancer. Therefore, great efforts are made to ensure the proper intake of iodine to the population, for example, the iodization of table salt. In the same way, as an alternative, the use of different iodine fertilization techniques to biofortify crops is considered an adequate iodine supply method. Hence, biofortification with iodine is an active area of research, with highly relevant results. The agricultural application of iodine to enhance growth, environmental adaptation, and stress tolerance in plants has not been well explored, although it may lead to the increased use of this element in agricultural practice and thus contribute to the biofortification of crops. This review systematically presents the results published on the application of iodine in agriculture, considering different environmental conditions and farming systems in various species and varying concentrations of the element, its chemical forms, and its application method. Some studies report beneficial effects of iodine, including better growth, and changes in the tolerance to stress and antioxidant capacity, while other studies report that the applications of iodine cause no response or even have adverse effects. We suggested different assumptions that attempt to explain these conflicting results, considering the possible interaction of iodine with other trace elements, as well as the different physicochemical and biogeochemical conditions that give rise to the distinct availability and the volatilization of the element. PMID:27602033

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rubin, Benjamin E.; Wetmore, Kelly M.; Price, Morgan N.

Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 is a model organism used for studying photosynthesis and the circadian clock, and it is being developed for the production of fuel, industrial chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. To identify a comprehensive set of genes and intergenic regions that impacts fitness in S. elongatus, we created a pooled library of ~250,000 transposon mutants and used sequencing to identify the insertion locations. By analyzing the distribution and survival of these mutants, we identified 718 of the organism's 2,723 genes as essential for survival under laboratory conditions. The validity of the essential gene set is supported by its tight overlapmore » with wellconserved genes and its enrichment for core biological processes. The differences noted between our dataset and these predictors of essentiality, however, have led to surprising biological insights. One such finding is that genes in a large portion of the TCA cycle are dispensable, suggesting that S. elongatus does not require a cyclic TCA process. Furthermore, the density of the transposon mutant library enabled individual and global statements about the essentiality of noncoding RNAs, regulatory elements, and other intergenic regions. In this way, a group I intron located in tRNA Leu , which has been used extensively for phylogenetic studies, was shown here to be essential for the survival of S. elongatus. Our survey of essentiality for every locus in the S. elongatus genome serves as a powerful resource for understanding the organism's physiology and defines the essential gene set required for the growth of a photosynthetic organism.« less

Reading Level and Length of Written Research Consent Forms

PubMed Central

Foe, Gabriella; Lally, Rachel

2015-01-01

Abstract In 100 Institutional Review Board approved consent forms (CFs), we assessed pages, reading levels, and whether they included essential elements. CF page numbers ranged from 3 to 28 (mean, 10.3) and readability ranged from grades 5.6 to 28.9 (mean, 11.6). The CF mean score for including essential elements was 90.8% (range: 63.5–100%). There were no significant differences by specialty in number of pages (p = 0.053), but surgical specialties had the highest readability (mean, 13.1), and pediatrics the lowest (10.5), p = 0.008. While approved CFs generally included the Office for Human Research Protections recommended essential elements, they were very long, and even pediatric forms, which had the lowest reading levels, were written on average at a tenth grade level. Researchers need guidance to resolve pressure between regulatory mandates and guidelines and “keeping it simple and clear.” PMID:25580939

Seven Essential Elements for Creating Effective Children's Media to Promote Peacebuilding: Lessons from International Coproductions of Sesame Street and Other Children's Media Programs.

PubMed

Cole, Charlotte F; Lee, June H; Bucuvalas, Abigail; Sırali, Yasemin

2018-03-01

Children's media have the capacity to prepare young learners to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to contribute to a more peaceful world. Research suggests international coproductions of Sesame Street and other children's media efforts are linked to positive impact on how viewers perceive themselves and their own cultures, as well as how they perceive others. Creating such media, however, relies on a commitment to a complex development process where the educational needs of children are considered alongside intra- and intergroup dynamics and political realities. This paper presents a practitioners' perspective on the essential components of children's media programs for peacebuilding and, in so doing, recommends a way forward for producing children's media in this domain. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of trace element status of organic dairy cattle.

PubMed

Orjales, I; Herrero-Latorre, C; Miranda, M; Rey-Crespo, F; Rodríguez-Bermúdez, R; López-Alonso, M

2018-06-01

The present study aimed to evaluate trace mineral status of organic dairy herds in northern Spain and the sources of minerals in different types of feed. Blood samples from organic and conventional dairy cattle and feed samples from the respective farms were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the concentrations of the essential trace elements (cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), iodine (I), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn)) and toxic trace elements (arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb)). Overall, no differences between organic and conventional farms were detected in serum concentrations of essential and toxic trace elements (except for higher concentrations of Cd on the organic farms), although a high level of inter-farm variation was detected in the organic systems, indicating that organic production greatly depends on the specific local conditions. The dietary concentrations of the essential trace elements I, Cu, Se and Zn were significantly higher in the conventional than in the organic systems, which can be attributed to the high concentration of these minerals in the concentrate feed. No differences in the concentrations of trace minerals were found in the other types of feed. Multivariate chemometric analysis was conducted to determine the contribution of different feed sources to the trace element status of the cattle. Concentrate samples were mainly associated with Co, Cu, I, Se and Zn (i.e. with the elements supplemented in this type of feed). However, pasture and grass silage were associated with soil-derived elements (As, Cr, Fe and Pb) which cattle may thus ingest during grazing.

Selenium in bone health: roles in antioxidant protection and cell proliferation.

PubMed

Zeng, Huawei; Cao, Jay J; Combs, Gerald F

2013-01-10

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and several findings suggest that dietary Se intake may be necessary for bone health. Such findings may relate to roles of Se in antioxidant protection, enhanced immune surveillance and modulation of cell proliferation. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which Se supports these cellular processes can lead to a better understanding of the role of this nutrient in normal bone metabolism. This article reviews the current knowledge concerning the molecular functions of Se relevant to bone health.

Selenium in Bone Health: Roles in Antioxidant Protection and Cell Proliferation

PubMed Central

Zeng, Huawei; Cao, Jay J.; Combs, Gerald F.

2013-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and several findings suggest that dietary Se intake may be necessary for bone health. Such findings may relate to roles of Se in antioxidant protection, enhanced immune surveillance and modulation of cell proliferation. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which Se supports these cellular processes can lead to a better understanding of the role of this nutrient in normal bone metabolism. This article reviews the current knowledge concerning the molecular functions of Se relevant to bone health. PMID:23306191

Marketing the hospital library.

PubMed

Bridges, Jane

2005-01-01

Many librarians do not see themselves as marketers, but marketing is an essential role for hospital librarians. Library work involves education, and there are parallels between marketing and education as described in this article. It is incumbent upon hospital librarians actively to pursue ways of reminding their customers about library services. This article reinforces the idea that marketing is an element in many of the things that librarians already do, and includes a list of suggested marketing strategies intended to remind administrators, physicians, and other customers that they have libraries in their organizations.

Potentially-toxic and essential elements profile of AH1N1 patients in Mexico City

PubMed Central

Moya, Mireya; Bautista, Edgar G.; Velázquez-González, Antonio; Vázquez-Gutiérrez, Felipe; Tzintzun, Guadalupe; García-Arreola, María Elena; Castillejos, Manuel; Hernández, Andrés

2013-01-01

During spring of 2009, a new influenza virus AH1N1 spread in the world causing acute respiratory illness and death, resulting in the first influenza pandemic since 1968. Blood levels of potentially-toxic and essential elements of 40 pneumonia and confirmed AH1N1 were evaluated against two different groups of controls, both not infected with the pandemic strain. Significant concentrations of potentially-toxic elements (lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic) along with deficiency of selenium or increased Zn/Cu ratios characterized AH1N1 cases under study when evaluated versus controlled cases. Deficiency of selenium is progressively observed from controls I (influenza like illness) through controls II (pneumonia) and finally pneumonia -AH1N1 infected patients. Cases with blood Se levels greater than the recommended for an optimal cut-off to activate glutathione peroxidase (12.5 μg/dL) recovered from illness and survived. Evaluation of this essential element in critical pneumonia patients at the National Institutes is under evaluation as a clinical trial. PMID:23422930

Geographic distribution of selected elements in the livers of polar bears from Greenland, Canada and the United States.

PubMed

Rush, Scott A; Borgå, Katrine; Dietz, Rune; Born, Erik W; Sonne, Christian; Evans, Thomas; Muir, Derek C G; Letcher, Robert J; Norstrom, Ross J; Fisk, Aaron T

2008-06-01

To assess geographic distributions of elements in the Arctic we compared essential and non-essential elements in the livers of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) collected from five regions within Canada in 2002, in Alaska between 1994 and 1999 and from the northwest and east coasts of Greenland between 1988 and 2000. As, Hg, Pb and Se varied with age, and Co and Zn with gender, which limited spatial comparisons across all populations to Cd, which was highest in Greenland bears. Collectively, geographic relationships appeared similar to past studies with little change in concentration over time in Canada and Greenland for most elements; Hg and Se were higher in some Canadian populations in 2002 as compared to 1982 and 1984. Concentrations of most elements in the polar bears did not exceed toxicity thresholds, although Cd and Hg exceeded levels correlated with the formation of hepatic lesions in laboratory animals.

Mi-2/NuRD complex function is required for normal S phase progression and assembly of pericentric heterochromatin.

PubMed

Sims, Jennifer K; Wade, Paul A

2011-09-01

During chromosome duplication, it is essential to replicate not only the DNA sequence, but also the complex nucleoprotein structures of chromatin. Pericentric heterochromatin is critical for silencing repetitive elements and plays an essential structural role during mitosis. However, relatively little is understood about its assembly and maintenance during replication. The Mi2/NuRD chromatin remodeling complex tightly associates with actively replicating pericentric heterochromatin, suggesting a role in its assembly. Here we demonstrate that depletion of the catalytic ATPase subunit CHD4/Mi-2β in cells with a dampened DNA damage response results in a slow-growth phenotype characterized by delayed progression through S phase. Furthermore, we observe defects in pericentric heterochromatin maintenance and assembly. Our data suggest that chromatin assembly defects are sensed by an ATM-dependent intra-S phase chromatin quality checkpoint, resulting in a temporal block to the transition from early to late S phase. These findings implicate Mi-2β in the maintenance of chromatin structure and proper cell cycle progression.

[Proposal of new trace elements classification to be used in nutrition, oligotherapy and other therapeutics strategies].

PubMed

Ramírez Hernández, Javier; Bonete Pérez, María José; Martínez Espinosa, Rosa María

2014-12-17

1) to propose a new classification of the trace elements based on a study of the recently reported research; 2) to offer detailed and actualized information about trace elements. the analysis of the research results recently reported reveals that the advances of the molecular analysis techniques point out the importance of certain trace elements in human health. A detailed analysis of the catalytic function related to several elements not considered essential o probably essentials up to now is also offered. To perform the integral analysis of the enzymes containing trace elements informatics tools have been used. Actualized information about physiological role, kinetics, metabolism, dietetic sources and factors promoting trace elements scarcity or toxicity is also presented. Oligotherapy uses catalytic active trace elements with therapeutic proposals. The new trace element classification here presented will be of high interest for different professional sectors: doctors and other professions related to medicine; nutritionist, pharmaceutics, etc. Using this new classification and approaches, new therapeutic strategies could be designed to mitigate symptomatology related to several pathologies, particularly carential and metabolic diseases. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

The Essential Supports for School Improvement. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sebring, Penny Bender; Allensworth, Elaine; Bryk, Anthony S.; Easton, John Q.; Luppescu, Stuart

2006-01-01

This report sets forth a framework of essential supports and contextual resources for school improvement, examines empirical evidence on its key elements and how they link to improvements in student learning, and investigates how a school's essential supports interact with community context to affect student learning. The purpose of this research…

A study on toxic and essential elements in wheat grain from the Republic of Kazakhstan.

PubMed

Tattibayeva, Damira; Nebot, Carolina; Miranda, Jose M; Abuova, Altynai B; Baibatyrov, Torebek A; Kizatova, Maigul Z; Cepeda, Alberto; Franco, Carlos M

2016-03-01

Little information is currently available about the content of different elements in wheat samples from the Republic of Kazakhstan. The concentrations of toxic (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and U) and essential (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Se, and Zn) elements in 117 sampled wheat grains from the Republic of Kazakhstan were measured. The results indicated that the mean and maximum concentrations of most investigated elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Se, Pb, and U) were higher in samples collected from southern Kazakhstan. The mean and maximum concentrations of toxic elements such as As, Cd, Hg, and Pb did not exceed levels specified by European, FAO, or Kazakh legislation, although the hazard quotient (HQ) values for Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn were higher than 1 and the hazard index (HI) was higher than 1 for samples collected from all areas of Kazakhstan. This indicates that there should be concern about the potential hazards of the combination of toxic elements in Kazakh wheat.

An Implementation of the Salt-Farm Monitoring System Using Wireless Sensor Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Jonggil; Park, Ingon; Lee, Yongwoong; Cho, Jongsik; Cho, Hyunwook; Yoe, Hyun; Shin, Changsun

In producing solar salt, natural environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind direction, wind speed and rain are essential elements which influence on the productivity and quality of salt. If we can manage the above mentioned environmental elements efficiently, we could achieve improved results in production of salt with good quality. To monitor and manage the natural environments, this paper suggests the Salt-Farm Monitoring System (SFMS) which is operated with renewable energy power. The system collects environmental factors directly from the environmental measure sensors and the sensor nodes. To implement a stand-alone system, we applied solar cell and wind generator to operate this system. Finally, we showed that the SFMS could monitor the salt-farm environments by using wireless sensor nodes and operate correctly without external power supply.

Concentrations of cadmium and selected essential elements in malignant large intestine tissue

PubMed Central

Dziki, Adam; Kilanowicz, Anna; Sapota, Andrzej; Duda-Szymańska, Joanna; Daragó, Adam

2015-01-01

Introduction Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Incidence rates of large intestine cancer indicate a role of environmental and occupational factors. The role of essential elements and their interaction with toxic metals can contribute to the explanation of a complex mechanism by which large intestine cancer develops. Bearing this in mind, determining the levels of essential and toxic elements in tissues (organs), as well as in body fluids, seems to shed light on their role in the mode of action in malignant disease. Aim Determination of the levels of cadmium, zinc, copper, selenium, calcium, magnesium, and iron in large intestine malignant tissue. Material and methods Two intraoperative intestine sections were investigated: one from the malignant tissue and the other one from the normal tissue, collected from each person with diagnosed large intestine cancer. Cadmium, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, and iron levels were determined with atomic absorption spectrometry, and selenium levels by spectrofluorimetric method. Results The levels of copper, selenium, and magnesium were higher in the malignant than in normal tissues. In addition, the zinc/copper and calcium/magnesium relationship was altered in malignant tissue, where correlations were lower compared to non-malignant tissue. Conclusions The results seems to demonstrate disturbed homeostasis of some essential elements. However, it is hard to confirm their involvement in the aetiology of colorectal cancer. PMID:27110307

Plant uptake of elements in soil and pore water: field observations versus model assumptions.

PubMed

Raguž, Veronika; Jarsjö, Jerker; Grolander, Sara; Lindborg, Regina; Avila, Rodolfo

2013-09-15

Contaminant concentrations in various edible plant parts transfer hazardous substances from polluted areas to animals and humans. Thus, the accurate prediction of plant uptake of elements is of significant importance. The processes involved contain many interacting factors and are, as such, complex. In contrast, the most common way to currently quantify element transfer from soils into plants is relatively simple, using an empirical soil-to-plant transfer factor (TF). This practice is based on theoretical assumptions that have been previously shown to not generally be valid. Using field data on concentrations of 61 basic elements in spring barley, soil and pore water at four agricultural sites in mid-eastern Sweden, we quantify element-specific TFs. Our aim is to investigate to which extent observed element-specific uptake is consistent with TF model assumptions and to which extent TF's can be used to predict observed differences in concentrations between different plant parts (root, stem and ear). Results show that for most elements, plant-ear concentrations are not linearly related to bulk soil concentrations, which is congruent with previous studies. This behaviour violates a basic TF model assumption of linearity. However, substantially better linear correlations are found when weighted average element concentrations in whole plants are used for TF estimation. The highest number of linearly-behaving elements was found when relating average plant concentrations to soil pore-water concentrations. In contrast to other elements, essential elements (micronutrients and macronutrients) exhibited relatively small differences in concentration between different plant parts. Generally, the TF model was shown to work reasonably well for micronutrients, whereas it did not for macronutrients. The results also suggest that plant uptake of elements from sources other than the soil compartment (e.g. from air) may be non-negligible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

14 CFR 271.6 - Profit element.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Profit element. 271.6 Section 271.6 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC... element. The reasonable return for a carrier for providing essential air service at an eligible place...

14 CFR 271.6 - Profit element.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Profit element. 271.6 Section 271.6 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC... element. The reasonable return for a carrier for providing essential air service at an eligible place...

14 CFR 271.6 - Profit element.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Profit element. 271.6 Section 271.6 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC... element. The reasonable return for a carrier for providing essential air service at an eligible place...

14 CFR 271.6 - Profit element.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Profit element. 271.6 Section 271.6 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC... element. The reasonable return for a carrier for providing essential air service at an eligible place...

Alumina forming iron base superalloy

DOEpatents

Yamamoto, Yukinori; Muralidharan, Govindarajan; Brady, Michael P.

2014-08-26

An austenitic stainless steel alloy, consists essentially of, in weight percent 2.5 to 4 Al; 25 to 35 Ni; 12 to 19 Cr; at least 1, up to 4 total of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Nb and Ta; 0.5 to 3 Ti; less than 0.5 V; 0.1 to 1 of at least on element selected from the group consisting of Zr and Hf; 0.03 to 0.2 C; 0.005 to 0.1 B; and base Fe. The weight percent Fe is greater than the weight percent Ni. The alloy forms an external continuous scale including alumina, and contains coherent precipitates of .gamma.'-Ni.sub.3Al, and a stable essentially single phase FCC austenitic matrix microstructure. The austenitic matrix is essentially delta-ferrite-free and essentially BCC-phase-free.

DIRS1-like retrotransposons are widely distributed among Decapoda and are particularly present in hydrothermal vent organisms

PubMed Central

Piednoël, Mathieu; Bonnivard, Eric

2009-01-01

Background Transposable elements are major constituents of eukaryote genomes and have a great impact on genome structure and stability. Considering their mutational abilities, TEs can contribute to the genetic diversity and evolution of organisms. Knowledge of their distribution among several genomes is an essential condition to study their dynamics and to better understand their role in species evolution. DIRS1-like retrotransposons are a particular group of retrotransposons according to their mode of transposition that implies a tyrosine recombinase. To date, they have been described in a restricted number of species in comparison with the LTR retrotransposons. In this paper, we determine the distribution of DIRS1-like elements among 25 decapod species, 10 of them living in hydrothermal vents that correspond to particularly unstable environments. Results Using PCR approaches, we have identified 15 new DIRS1-like families in 15 diverse decapod species (shrimps, lobsters, crabs and galatheid crabs). Hydrothermal organisms show a particularly great diversity of DIRS1-like elements with 5 families characterized among Alvinocarididae shrimps and 3 in the galatheid crab Munidopsis recta. Phylogenic analyses show that these elements are divergent toward the DIRS1-like families previously described in other crustaceans and arthropods and form a new clade called AlDIRS1. At larger scale, the distribution of DIRS1-like retrotransposons appears more or less patchy depending on the taxa considered. Indeed, a scattered distribution can be observed in the infraorder Brachyura whereas all the species tested in infraorders Caridea and Astacidea harbor some DIRS1-like elements. Conclusion Our results lead to nearly double both the number of DIRS1-like elements described to date, and the number of species known to harbor these ones. In this study, we provide the first degenerate primers designed to look specifically for DIRS1-like retrotransposons. They allowed for revealing for the first time a widespread distribution of these elements among a large phylum, here the order Decapoda. They also suggest some peculiar features of these retrotransposons in hydrothermal organisms where a great diversity of elements is already observed. Finally, this paper constitutes the first essential step which allows for considering further studies based on the dynamics of the DIRS1-like retrotransposons among several genomes. PMID:19400949

DIRS1-like retrotransposons are widely distributed among Decapoda and are particularly present in hydrothermal vent organisms.

PubMed

Piednoël, Mathieu; Bonnivard, Eric

2009-04-28

Transposable elements are major constituents of eukaryote genomes and have a great impact on genome structure and stability. Considering their mutational abilities, TEs can contribute to the genetic diversity and evolution of organisms. Knowledge of their distribution among several genomes is an essential condition to study their dynamics and to better understand their role in species evolution. DIRS1-like retrotransposons are a particular group of retrotransposons according to their mode of transposition that implies a tyrosine recombinase. To date, they have been described in a restricted number of species in comparison with the LTR retrotransposons. In this paper, we determine the distribution of DIRS1-like elements among 25 decapod species, 10 of them living in hydrothermal vents that correspond to particularly unstable environments. Using PCR approaches, we have identified 15 new DIRS1-like families in 15 diverse decapod species (shrimps, lobsters, crabs and galatheid crabs). Hydrothermal organisms show a particularly great diversity of DIRS1-like elements with 5 families characterized among Alvinocarididae shrimps and 3 in the galatheid crab Munidopsis recta. Phylogenic analyses show that these elements are divergent toward the DIRS1-like families previously described in other crustaceans and arthropods and form a new clade called AlDIRS1. At larger scale, the distribution of DIRS1-like retrotransposons appears more or less patchy depending on the taxa considered. Indeed, a scattered distribution can be observed in the infraorder Brachyura whereas all the species tested in infraorders Caridea and Astacidea harbor some DIRS1-like elements. Our results lead to nearly double both the number of DIRS1-like elements described to date, and the number of species known to harbor these ones. In this study, we provide the first degenerate primers designed to look specifically for DIRS1-like retrotransposons. They allowed for revealing for the first time a widespread distribution of these elements among a large phylum, here the order Decapoda. They also suggest some peculiar features of these retrotransposons in hydrothermal organisms where a great diversity of elements is already observed. Finally, this paper constitutes the first essential step which allows for considering further studies based on the dynamics of the DIRS1-like retrotransposons among several genomes.

A purified transcription factor (TIF-IB) binds to essential sequences of the mouse rDNA promoter.

PubMed Central

Clos, J; Buttgereit, D; Grummt, I

1986-01-01

A transcription factor that is specific for mouse rDNA has been partially purified from Ehrlich ascites cells. This factor [designated transcription initiation factor (TIF)-IB] is required for accurate in vitro synthesis of mouse rRNA in addition to RNA polymerase I and another regulatory factor, TIF-IA. TIF-IB activity is present in extracts both from growing and nongrowing cells in comparable amounts. Prebinding competition experiments with wild-type and mutant templates suggest that TIF-IB interacts with the core control element of the rDNA promoter, which is located immediately upstream of the initiation site. The specific binding of TIF-IB to the RNA polymerase I promoter is demonstrated by exonuclease III protection experiments. The 3' border of the sequences protected by TIF-IB is shown to be on the coding strand at position -21 and on the noncoding strand at position -7. The results suggest that direct binding of TIF-IB to sequences in the core promoter element is the mechanism by which this factor imparts promoter selectivity to RNA polymerase I. Images PMID:3456157

Evaluation of Toxic Metals and Essential Elements in Children with Learning Disabilities from a Rural Area of Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

do Nascimento, Sabrina Nunes; Charão, Mariele Feiffer; Moro, Angela Maria; Roehrs, Miguel; Paniz, Clovis; Baierle, Marília; Brucker, Natália; Gioda, Adriana; Barbosa, Fernando; Bohrer, Denise; Ávila, Daiana Silva; Garcia, Solange Cristina

2014-01-01

Children’s exposure to metals can result in adverse effects such as cognitive function impairments. This study aimed to evaluate some toxic metals and levels of essential trace elements in blood, hair, and drinking water in children from a rural area of Southern Brazil. Cognitive ability and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity were evaluated. Oxidative stress was evaluated as a main mechanism of metal toxicity, through the quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This study included 20 children from a rural area and 20 children from an urban area. Our findings demonstrated increase in blood lead (Pb) levels (BLLs). Also, increased levels of nickel (Ni) in blood and increase of aluminum (Al) levels in hair and drinking water in rural children were found. Deficiency in selenium (Se) levels was observed in rural children as well. Rural children with visual-motor immaturity presented Pb levels in hair significantly increased in relation to rural children without visual-motor immaturity (p < 0.05). Negative correlations between BLLs and ALA-D activity and positive correlations between BLLs and ALA-RE activity were observed. MDA was significantly higher in rural compared to urban children (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that rural children were co-exposed to toxic metals, especially Al, Pb and Ni. Moreover, a slight deficiency of Se was observed. Low performance on cognitive ability tests and ALA-D inhibition can be related to metal exposure in rural children. Oxidative stress was suggested as a main toxicological mechanism involved in metal exposure. PMID:25329533

Concentrations of 17 elements, including mercury, and their relationship to fitness measures in arctic shorebirds and their eggs.

PubMed

Hargreaves, Anna L; Whiteside, Douglas P; Gilchrist, Grant

2010-07-15

Exposure to contaminants is one hypothesis proposed to explain the global decline in shorebirds, and this is of particular concern in the arctic. However, little information exists on contaminant levels in arctic-breeding shorebirds, especially in Canada. We studied potential contaminants in three biparental shorebird species nesting in Nunavut, Canada: ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), black-bellied plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) and semipalmated plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus). Blood, feathers and eggs were analyzed for As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V, and Zn. We assessed whether element concentrations a) differed among species and sexes, b) were correlated among pairs and their eggs, and c) were related to fitness endpoints, namely body condition, blood-parasite load, nest survival days, and hatching success. Non-essential elements were found at lower concentrations than essential elements, with the exception of Hg. Maximum Hg levels in blood approached those associated with toxicological effects in other bird species, but other elements were well below known toxicological thresholds. Reproductive success was negatively correlated with paternal Hg and maternal Pb, although these effects were generally weak and varied among tissues. Element levels were positively correlated within pairs for blood-Hg (turnstones) and feather-Ni and Cr (semipalmated plovers); concentrations in eggs and maternal blood were never correlated. Concentrations of many elements differed among species, but there was no evidence that any species had higher overall exposure to non-essential metals. In conclusion, whereas we found little evidence that exposure to the majority of these elements is leading to declines of the species studied here, Hg levels were of potential concern and both Hg and Pb warrant further monitoring. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The use of programmed microcalculators for automation of leukocyte count].

PubMed

Plykin, D L

1989-01-01

Soviet programmed microcalculators are recommended to be used for the calculation of the leukocytic formulae when making serial blood analyses at clinical laboratories. The suggested program helps completely automate the process of estimating the leukocyte types, detectable in microscopic examination of the blood smears; the results may be obtained as a per cent ratio of the cells (a form most prevalent nowadays) and as their quantity per microliter of blood. The presence of service elements in the program essentially simplifies the work, making it convenient for an untrained user of the microcalculator. Since commercial Soviet programmed microcalculators somewhat differ in the systems of program steps, two variants of the program are suggested, adapted to the two most prevalent designs.

Marine Bioinorganic Chemistry: The Role of Trace Metals in the Oceanic Cycles of Major Nutrients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morel, F. M. M.; Milligan, A. J.; Saito, M. A.

2003-12-01

The bulk of living biomass is chiefly made up of only a dozen "major" elements - carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, sulfur (and silicon in diatoms) - whose proportions vary within a relatively narrow range in most organisms. A number of trace elements, particularly first row transition metals - manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, and zinc - are also "essential" for the growth of organisms. At the molecular level, the chemical mechanisms by which such elements function as active centers or structural factors in enzymes and by which they are accumulated and stored by organisms is the central topic of bioinorganic chemistry. At the scale of ocean basins, the interplay of physical, chemical, and biological processes that govern the cycling of biologically essential elements in seawater is the subject of marine biogeochemistry. For those interested in the growth of marine organisms, particularly in the one-half of the Earth's primary production contributed by marine phytoplankton, bioinorganic chemistry and marine biogeochemistry are critically linked by the extraordinary paucity of essential trace elements in surface seawater, which results from their biological utilization and incorporation in sinking organic matter. How marine organisms acquire elements that are present at nano- or picomolar concentrations in surface seawater; how they perform critical enzymatic functions when necessary metal cofactors are almost unavailable are the central topics of "marine bioinorganic chemistry." The central aim of this field is to elucidate at the molecular level the metal-dependent biological processes involved in the major biogeochemical cycles.By examining the solutions that emerged from the problems posed by the scarcity of essential trace elements, marine bioinorganic chemists bring to light hitherto unknown ways to take up or utilize trace elements, new molecules, and newer "essential" elements. Focusing on molecular mechanisms involved in such processes as inorganic carbon fixation, organic carbon respiration, or nitrogen transformation, they explain how the cycles of trace elements are critically linked to those of major nutrients such as carbon or nitrogen. But we have relatively little understanding of the binding molecules and the enzymes that mediate the biochemical role of trace metals in the marine environment. In this sense, this chapter is more a "preview" than a review of the field of marine bioinorganic chemistry. To exemplify the concepts and methods of this field, we have chosen to focus on one of its most important topics: the potentially limiting role of trace elements in primary marine production. As a result we center our discussion on particular subsets of organisms, biogeochemical cycles, and trace elements. Our chief actors are marine phytoplankton, particularly eukaryotes, while heterotrophic bacteria make only cameo appearances. The biogeochemical cycles that will serve as our plot are those of the elements involved in phytoplankton growth, the major algal nutrients - carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon - leaving aside, e.g., the interesting topic of the marine sulfur cycle. Seven trace metals provide the intrigue: manganese, iron, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, and cadmium. But several other trace elements such as selenium, vanadium, molybdenum, and tungsten (and, probably, others not yet identified) will assuredly add further twists in future episodes.We begin this chapter by discussing what we know of the concentrations of trace elements in marine microorganisms and of the relevant mechanisms and kinetics of trace-metal uptake. We then review the biochemical role of trace elements in the marine cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon. Using this information, we examine the evidence, emanating from both laboratory cultures and field measurements, relevant to the mechanisms and the extent of control by trace metals of marine biogeochemical cycles. Before concluding with a wistful glimpse of the future of marine bioinorganic chemistry we discuss briefly some paleoceanographic aspects of this new field: how the chemistry of the planet "Earth" - particularly the concentrations of trace elements in the oceans - has evolved since its origin, chiefly as a result of biological processes and how the evolution of life has, in turn, been affected by the availability of essential trace elements.

Ethics curriculum for emergency medicine graduate medical education.

PubMed

Marco, Catherine A; Lu, Dave W; Stettner, Edward; Sokolove, Peter E; Ufberg, Jacob W; Noeller, Thomas P

2011-05-01

Ethics education is an essential component of graduate medical education in emergency medicine. A sound understanding of principles of bioethics and a rational approach to ethical decision-making are imperative. This article addresses ethics curriculum content, educational approaches, educational resources, and resident feedback and evaluation. Ethics curriculum content should include elements suggested by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. Essential ethics content includes ethical principles, the physician-patient relationship, patient autonomy, clinical issues, end-of-life decisions, justice, education in emergency medicine, research ethics, and professionalism. The appropriate curriculum in ethics education in emergency medicine should include some of the content and educational approaches outlined in this article, although the optimal methods for meeting these educational goals may vary by institution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impaired Calcium Entry into Cells Is Associated with Pathological Signs of Zinc Deficiency12

PubMed Central

O’Dell, Boyd L.; Browning, Jimmy D.

2013-01-01

Zinc is an essential trace element whose deficiency gives rise to specific pathological signs. These signs occur because an essential metabolic function is impaired as the result of failure to form or maintain a specific metal-ion protein complex. Although zinc is a component of many essential metalloenzymes and transcription factors, few of these have been identified with a specific sign of incipient zinc deficiency. Zinc also functions as a structural component of other essential proteins. Recent research with Swiss murine fibroblasts, 3T3 cells, has shown that zinc deficiency impairs calcium entry into cells, a process essential for many cell functions, including proliferation, maturation, contraction, and immunity. Impairment of calcium entry and the subsequent failure of cell proliferation could explain the growth failure associated with zinc deficiency. Defective calcium uptake is associated with impaired nerve transmission and pathology of the peripheral nervous system, as well as the failure of platelet aggregation and the bleeding tendency of zinc deficiency. There is a strong analogy between the pathology of genetic diseases that result in impaired calcium entry and other signs of zinc deficiency, such as decreased and cyclic food intake, taste abnormalities, abnormal water balance, skin lesions, impaired reproduction, depressed immunity, and teratogenesis. This analogy suggests that failure of calcium entry is involved in these signs of zinc deficiency as well. PMID:23674794

Determination of rare earth elements concentration at different depth profile of Precambrian pegmatites using instrumental neutron activation analysis.

PubMed

Sadiq Aliyu, Abubakar; Musa, Yahaya; Liman, M S; Abba, Habu T; Chaanda, Mohammed S; Ngene, Nnamani C; Garba, N N

2018-01-01

The Keffi area hosts abundant pegmatite bodies as a result of the surrounding granitic intrusions. Keffi is part of areas that are geologically classified as North Central Basement Complex. Data on the mineralogy and mineralogical zonation of the Keffi pegmatite are scanty. Hence the need to understand the geology and mineralogical zonation of Keffi pegmatites especially at different depth profiles is relevant as a study of the elemental composition of the pegmatite is essential for the estimation of its economic viability. Here, the relative standardization method of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been used to investigate the vertical deviations of the elemental concentrations of rare earth elements (REEs) at different depth profile of Keffi pegmatite. This study adopted the following metrics in investigating the vertical variations of REEs concentrations. Namely, the total contents of rare earth elements (∑REE); ratio of light to heavy rare earth elements (LREE/HREE), which defines the enrichment or depletion of REEs; europium anomaly (Eu/Sm); La/Lu ratio relative to chondritic meteorites. The study showed no significant variations in the total content of rare elements between the vertical depth profiles (100-250m). However, higher total concentrations of REEs (~ 92.65ppm) were recorded at the upper depth of the pegmatite and the europium anomaly was consistently negative at all the depth profiles suggesting that the Keffi pegmatite is enriched with light REEs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A rapid review of treatment literacy materials for tuberculosis patients.

PubMed

Brumwell, A; Noyes, E; Kulkarni, S; Lin, V; Becerra, M C; Yuen, C M

2018-03-01

To assess available treatment literacy materials for patients undergoing treatment for tuberculosis (TB). We conducted a rapid review by searching the US Centers for Disease Control's Find TB Resources website and the websites of health departments and TB-focused organizations. We included English-language documents intended to educate TB patients about anti-tuberculosis treatment. We evaluated the format, readability, and content of documents, and audience. We defined 12 essential content elements based on those previously identified as facilitating human immunodeficiency virus treatment literacy. Of the 205 documents obtained, 45 were included in our review. The median reading grade level was 7 (IQR 5-8). The median number of essential content elements present was 6 (IQR 4-8), with the most comprehensive document containing 11 of the 12 elements. Only two documents were written for children with TB or their care givers, and two for patients with drug-resistant TB. Many documents contained paternalistic and non-patient-centered language. We found few examples of comprehensive, patient-centered documents. Work is needed to achieve consensus as to the essential elements of TB treatment literacy and to create additional materials for children, patients with drug-resistant TB, and those with lower literacy levels.

Application of wall-models to discontinuous Galerkin LES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frère, Ariane; Carton de Wiart, Corentin; Hillewaert, Koen; Chatelain, Philippe; Winckelmans, Grégoire

2017-08-01

Wall-resolved Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) are still limited to moderate Reynolds number flows due to the high computational cost required to capture the inner part of the boundary layer. Wall-modeled LES (WMLES) provide more affordable LES by modeling the near-wall layer. Wall function-based WMLES solve LES equations up to the wall, where the coarse mesh resolution essentially renders the calculation under-resolved. This makes the accuracy of WMLES very sensitive to the behavior of the numerical method. Therefore, best practice rules regarding the use and implementation of WMLES cannot be directly transferred from one methodology to another regardless of the type of discretization approach. Whilst numerous studies present guidelines on the use of WMLES, there is a lack of knowledge for discontinuous finite-element-like high-order methods. Incidentally, these methods are increasingly used on the account of their high accuracy on unstructured meshes and their strong computational efficiency. The present paper proposes best practice guidelines for the use of WMLES in these methods. The study is based on sensitivity analyses of turbulent channel flow simulations by means of a Discontinuous Galerkin approach. It appears that good results can be obtained without the use of a spatial or temporal averaging. The study confirms the importance of the wall function input data location and suggests to take it at the bottom of the second off-wall element. These data being available through the ghost element, the suggested method prevents the loss of computational scalability experienced in unstructured WMLES. The study also highlights the influence of the polynomial degree used in the wall-adjacent element. It should preferably be of even degree as using polynomials of degree two in the first off-wall element provides, surprisingly, better results than using polynomials of degree three.

Transcription factor MITF and remodeller BRG1 define chromatin organisation at regulatory elements in melanoma cells.

PubMed

Laurette, Patrick; Strub, Thomas; Koludrovic, Dana; Keime, Céline; Le Gras, Stéphanie; Seberg, Hannah; Van Otterloo, Eric; Imrichova, Hana; Siddaway, Robert; Aerts, Stein; Cornell, Robert A; Mengus, Gabrielle; Davidson, Irwin

2015-03-24

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is the master regulator of the melanocyte lineage. To understand how MITF regulates transcription, we used tandem affinity purification and mass spectrometry to define a comprehensive MITF interactome identifying novel cofactors involved in transcription, DNA replication and repair, and chromatin organisation. We show that MITF interacts with a PBAF chromatin remodelling complex comprising BRG1 and CHD7. BRG1 is essential for melanoma cell proliferation in vitro and for normal melanocyte development in vivo. MITF and SOX10 actively recruit BRG1 to a set of MITF-associated regulatory elements (MAREs) at active enhancers. Combinations of MITF, SOX10, TFAP2A, and YY1 bind between two BRG1-occupied nucleosomes thus defining both a signature of transcription factors essential for the melanocyte lineage and a specific chromatin organisation of the regulatory elements they occupy. BRG1 also regulates the dynamics of MITF genomic occupancy. MITF-BRG1 interplay thus plays an essential role in transcription regulation in melanoma.

Linking physiology and biomineralization processes to ecological inferences on the life history of fishes.

PubMed

Loewen, T N; Carriere, B; Reist, J D; Halden, N M; Anderson, W G

2016-12-01

Biomineral chemistry is frequently used to infer life history events and habitat use in fishes; however, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Here we have taken a multidisciplinary approach to review the current understanding of element incorporation into biomineralized structures in fishes. Biominerals are primarily composed of calcium-based derivatives such as calcium carbonate found in otoliths and calcium phosphates found in scales, fins and bones. By focusing on non-essential life elements (strontium and barium) and essential life elements (calcium, zinc and magnesium), we attempt to connect several fields of study to synergise how physiology may influence biomineralization and subsequent inference of life history. Data provided in this review indicate that the presence of non-essential elements in biominerals of fish is driven primarily by hypo- and hyper-calcemic environmental conditions. The uptake kinetics between environmental calcium and its competing mimics define what is ultimately incorporated in the biomineral structure. Conversely, circannual hormonally driven variations likely influence essential life elements like zinc that are known to associate with enzyme function. Environmental temperature and pH as well as uptake kinetics for strontium and barium isotopes demonstrate the role of mass fractionation in isotope selection for uptake into fish bony structures. In consideration of calcium mobilisation, the action of osteoclast-like cells on calcium phosphates of scales, fins and bones likely plays a role in fractionation along with transport kinetics. Additional investigations into calcium mobilisation are warranted to understand differing views of strontium, and barium isotope fractionation between calcium phosphates and calcium carbonate structures in fishes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-institutional analysis of CT and MRI reports evaluating indeterminate renal masses: comparison to a national survey investigating desired report elements.

PubMed

Hu, Eric M; Zhang, Andrew; Silverman, Stuart G; Pedrosa, Ivan; Wang, Zhen J; Smith, Andrew D; Chandarana, Hersh; Doshi, Ankur; Shinagare, Atul B; Remer, Erick M; Kaffenberger, Samuel D; Miller, David C; Davenport, Matthew S

2018-04-17

To determine the need for a standardized renal mass reporting template by analyzing reports of indeterminate renal masses and comparing their contents to stated preferences of radiologists and urologists. The host IRB waived regulatory oversight for this multi-institutional HIPAA-compliant quality improvement effort. CT and MRI reports created to characterize an indeterminate renal mass were analyzed from 6 community (median: 17 reports/site) and 6 academic (median: 23 reports/site) United States practices. Report contents were compared to a published national survey of stated preferences by academic radiologists and urologists from 9 institutions. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were calculated. Of 319 reports, 85% (271; 192 CT, 79 MRI) reported a possibly malignant mass (236 solid, 35 cystic). Some essential elements were commonly described: size (99% [269/271]), mass type (solid vs. cystic; 99% [268/271]), enhancement (presence vs. absence; 92% [248/271]). Other essential elements had incomplete penetrance: the presence or absence of fat in solid masses (14% [34/236]), size comparisons when available (79% [111/140]), Bosniak classification for cystic masses (54% [19/35]). Preferred but non-essential elements generally were described in less than half of reports. Nephrometry scores usually were not included for local therapy candidates (12% [30/257]). Academic practices were significantly more likely than community practices to include mass characterization details, probability of malignancy, and staging. Community practices were significantly more likely to include management recommendations. Renal mass reporting elements considered essential or preferred often are omitted in radiology reports. Variation exists across radiologists and practice settings. A standardized template may mitigate these inconsistencies.

Essential and toxic element concentrations in blood and urine and their associations with diet: results from a Norwegian population study including high-consumers of seafood and game.

PubMed

Birgisdottir, B E; Knutsen, H K; Haugen, M; Gjelstad, I M; Jenssen, M T S; Ellingsen, D G; Thomassen, Y; Alexander, J; Meltzer, H M; Brantsæter, A L

2013-10-01

The first aim of the study was to evaluate calculated dietary intake and concentrations measured in blood or urine of essential and toxic elements in relation to nutritional and toxicological reference values. The second aim was to identify patterns of the element concentrations in blood and urine and to identify possible dietary determinants of the concentrations of these elements. Adults with a known high consumption of environmental contaminants (n=111), and a random sample of controls (n=76) answered a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Complete data on biological measures were available for 179 individuals. Blood and urine samples were analyzed for selenium, iodine, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and lead. Principal component analysis was used to identify underlying patterns of correlated blood and urine concentrations. The calculated intakes of selenium, iodine, inorganic arsenic and mercury were within guideline levels. For cadmium 24% of the high consumer group and 8% of the control group had intakes above the tolerable weekly intake. Concentrations of lead in blood exceeded the bench-mark dose lower confidence limits for some participants. However, overall, the examined exposures did not give rise to nutritional or toxicological concerns. Game consumption was associated with lead in blood (B(ln) 0.021; 95%CI:0.010, 0.031) and wine consumption. Seafood consumption was associated with urinary cadmium in non-smokers (B(ln) 0.009; 95%CI:0.003, 0.015). A novel finding was a distinct pattern of positively associated biological markers, comprising iodine, selenium, arsenic and mercury (eigenvalue 3.8), reflecting seafood intake (B 0.007; 95%CI:0.004, 0.010). The study clearly demonstrates the significance of seafood as a source of both essential nutrients and toxic elements simultaneously and shows that exposure to various essential and toxic elements can be intertwined. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Elemental analysis of mussels and possible health risks arising from their consumption as a food: The case of Boka Kotorska Bay, Adriatic Sea.

PubMed

Tanaskovski, Bojan; Jović, Mihajlo; Mandić, Milica; Pezo, Lato; Degetto, Sandro; Stanković, Slavka

2016-08-01

The present study investigated the essential and non-essential elements in cultivated and wild mussels and assessed the health risk arising from their consumption as an impact of rapid growth and intensive production of Mytilus galloprovincialis in the mussel farms of the Boka Kotorska Bay. The concentrations of macro, micro, nonessential and even the small amounts of potentially toxic elements in the cultivated and wild mussels were influenced by industry, tourism and the geohydrology of the Bay. In the case of cultivated mussels, the limiting factor, i.e., the element the elevated concentration of which restricts mussels consumption, was Zr, while in the case of wild mussels the limiting factors were Cr and As. The sites with cultivated mussels stand out as sites with the highest calculated element pollution index, the total hazard index and with higher estimated risk to the health of consumers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of essential and toxic elements in esophagus, lung, mouth and urinary bladder male cancer patients with related to controls.

PubMed

Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Wadhwa, Sham Kumar; Afridi, Hassan Imran; Talpur, Farah Naz; Tuzen, Mustafa; Baig, Jameel Ahmed

2015-05-01

There is a compelling evidence in support of negative associations between essential trace and toxic elements in different types of cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between carcinogenic (As, Cd, Ni) and anti-carcinogenic (Se, Zn) trace elements in scalp hair samples of different male cancerous patients (esophagus, lung, mouth, and urinary bladder). For comparative purposes, the scalp hair samples of healthy males of the same age group (ranged 35-65 years) as controls were analyzed. Both controls and patients have the same socioeconomic status, localities, dietary habits, and smoking locally made cigarette. The scalp hair samples were oxidized by 65% nitric acid: 30% hydrogen peroxide (2:1) ratio in microwave oven followed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked using certified reference material of human hair BCR 397. The mean concentrations of As, Cd, and Ni were found to be significantly higher in scalp hair samples of patients having different cancers as compared to the controls, while reverse results were obtained in the case of Se and Zn levels (p < 0.01). The study revealed that the carcinogenic processes are significantly affecting the trace elements burden and mutual interaction of essential trace and toxic elements in the cancerous patients.

Essential and Beneficial Trace Elements in Plants, and Their Transport in Roots: a Review.

PubMed

Vatansever, Recep; Ozyigit, Ibrahim Ilker; Filiz, Ertugrul

2017-01-01

The essentiality of 14 mineral elements so far have been reported in plant nutrition. Eight of these elements were known as micronutrients due to their lower concentrations in plants (usually ≤100 mg/kg/dw). However, it is still challenging to mention an exact number of plant micronutrients since some elements have not been strictly proposed yet either as essential or beneficial. Micronutrients participate in very diverse metabolic processes, including from the primary and secondary metabolism to the cell defense, and from the signal transduction to the gene regulation, energy metabolism, and hormone perception. Thus, the attempt to understand the molecular mechanism(s) behind their transport has great importance in terms of basic and applied plant sciences. Moreover, their deficiency or toxicity also caused serious disease symptoms in plants, even plant destruction if not treated, and many people around the world suffer from the plant-based dietary deficiencies or metal toxicities. In this sense, shedding some light on this issue, the 13 mineral elements (Fe, B, Cu, Mn, Mo, Si, Zn, Ni, Cl, Se, Na, Al, and Co), required by plants at trace amounts, has been reviewed with the primary focus on the transport proteins (transporters/channels) in plant roots. So, providing the compiled but extensive information about the structural and functional roles of micronutrient transport genes/proteins in plant roots.

Population-level approaches to universal health coverage in resource-poor settings: lessons from tobacco control policy in Vietnam.

PubMed

Higashi, Hideki; Khuong, Tuan A; Ngo, Anh D; Hill, Peter S

2011-07-01

Population-based health promotion and disease prevention approaches are essential elements in achieving universal health coverage; yet they frequently do not appear on national policy agendas. This paper suggests that resource-poor countries should take greater advantage of such approaches to reach all segments of the population to positively affect health outcomes and equity, especially considering the epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases and associated modifiable risk factors. Tobacco control policy development and implementation in Vietnam provides a case study to discuss opportunities and challenges associated with such strategies.

Trace Element Concentrations in Beef Cattle Related to the Breed Aptitude.

PubMed

Pereira, Victor; Carbajales, Paloma; López-Alonso, Marta; Miranda, Marta

2018-02-24

Animal feed has traditionally been supplemented with trace elements at dietary concentrations well above physiological needs. However, environmental concerns have led to calls for better adjustment of mineral supplementation to actual physiological needs and, in this context, consideration of breed-related differences in trace element requirements. The aim of this study was to analyze trace element concentrations in the main breeds used for intensive beef production in northern Spain (Holstein-Friesian [HF], Galician Blonde [GB], and GB × HF cross). Samples of blood, internal organs, and muscle were obtained at slaughter from 10 HF, GB, and GB × HF cross calves in the same feedlot. Overall, trace element concentrations in serum and internal organs were within adequate ranges and did not differ between those of breeds, suggesting that trace mineral supplementation was adequate in all groups. The only exception to this was copper, and hepatic copper concentrations were above adequate levels in all calves. This was particularly evident in the HF calves, and the maximum recommended level for human consumption was exceeded in 90% of these animals. Copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc concentrations in muscle were significantly higher in the HF than those in the GB calves, with intermediate values for the crosses. These breed-related differences in trace element concentrations in the muscle may be related to lower muscle mass and/or higher hepatic activity in the HF (dairy) calves than in GB (beef) calves. As meat is an essential source of highly available trace elements in human diets, breed-related differences in trace element concentrations in meat deserve further investigation.

Nanoparticles of barium induce apoptosis in human phagocytes

PubMed Central

Mores, Luana; França, Eduardo Luzia; Silva, Núbia Andrade; Suchara, Eliane Aparecida; Honorio-França, Adenilda Cristina

2015-01-01

Purpose Nutrients and immunological factors of breast milk are essential for newborn growth and the development of their immune system, but this secretion can contain organic and inorganic toxins such as barium. Colostrum contamination with barium is an important issue to investigate because this naturally occurring element is also associated with human activity and industrial pollution. The study evaluated the administration of barium nanoparticles to colostrum, assessing the viability and functional activity of colostral mononuclear phagocytes. Methods Colostrum was collected from 24 clinically healthy women (aged 18–35 years). Cell viability, superoxide release, intracellular Ca2+ release, and phagocyte apoptosis were analyzed in the samples. Results Treatment with barium lowered mononuclear phagocyte viability, increased superoxide release, and reduced intracellular calcium release. In addition, barium increased cell death by apoptosis. Conclusion These data suggest that nanoparticles of barium in colostrum are toxic to cells, showing the importance of avoiding exposure to this element. PMID:26451108

Upgrading Marine Ecosystem Restoration Using Ecological-Social Concepts.

PubMed

Abelson, Avigdor; Halpern, Benjamin S; Reed, Daniel C; Orth, Robert J; Kendrick, Gary A; Beck, Michael W; Belmaker, Jonathan; Krause, Gesche; Edgar, Graham J; Airoldi, Laura; Brokovich, Eran; France, Robert; Shashar, Nadav; de Blaeij, Arianne; Stambler, Noga; Salameh, Pierre; Shechter, Mordechai; Nelson, Peter A

2016-02-01

Conservation and environmental management are principal countermeasures to the degradation of marine ecosystems and their services. However, in many cases, current practices are insufficient to reverse ecosystem declines. We suggest that restoration ecology , the science underlying the concepts and tools needed to restore ecosystems, must be recognized as an integral element for marine conservation and environmental management. Marine restoration ecology is a young scientific discipline, often with gaps between its application and the supporting science. Bridging these gaps is essential to using restoration as an effective management tool and reversing the decline of marine ecosystems and their services. Ecological restoration should address objectives that include improved ecosystem services, and it therefore should encompass social-ecological elements rather than focusing solely on ecological parameters. We recommend using existing management frameworks to identify clear restoration targets, to apply quantitative tools for assessment, and to make the re-establishment of ecosystem services a criterion for success.

Extensive gene content variation in the Brachypodium distachyon pan-genome correlates with population structure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, Sean P.; Contreras-Moreira, Bruno; Woods, Daniel P.

While prokaryotic pan-genomes have been shown to contain many more genes than any individual organism, the prevalence and functional significance of differentially present genes in eukaryotes remains poorly understood. Whole-genome de novo assembly and annotation of 54 lines of the grass Brachypodium distachyon yield a pan-genome containing nearly twice the number of genes found in any individual genome. Genes present in all lines are enriched for essential biological functions, while genes present in only some lines are enriched for conditionally beneficial functions (e.g., defense and development), display faster evolutionary rates, lie closer to transposable elements and are less likely tomore » be syntenic with orthologous genes in other grasses. Our data suggest that differentially present genes contribute substantially to phenotypic variation within a eukaryote species, these genes have a major influence in population genetics, and transposable elements play a key role in pan-genome evolution.« less

Extensive gene content variation in the Brachypodium distachyon pan-genome correlates with population structure.

PubMed

Gordon, Sean P; Contreras-Moreira, Bruno; Woods, Daniel P; Des Marais, David L; Burgess, Diane; Shu, Shengqiang; Stritt, Christoph; Roulin, Anne C; Schackwitz, Wendy; Tyler, Ludmila; Martin, Joel; Lipzen, Anna; Dochy, Niklas; Phillips, Jeremy; Barry, Kerrie; Geuten, Koen; Budak, Hikmet; Juenger, Thomas E; Amasino, Richard; Caicedo, Ana L; Goodstein, David; Davidson, Patrick; Mur, Luis A J; Figueroa, Melania; Freeling, Michael; Catalan, Pilar; Vogel, John P

2017-12-19

While prokaryotic pan-genomes have been shown to contain many more genes than any individual organism, the prevalence and functional significance of differentially present genes in eukaryotes remains poorly understood. Whole-genome de novo assembly and annotation of 54 lines of the grass Brachypodium distachyon yield a pan-genome containing nearly twice the number of genes found in any individual genome. Genes present in all lines are enriched for essential biological functions, while genes present in only some lines are enriched for conditionally beneficial functions (e.g., defense and development), display faster evolutionary rates, lie closer to transposable elements and are less likely to be syntenic with orthologous genes in other grasses. Our data suggest that differentially present genes contribute substantially to phenotypic variation within a eukaryote species, these genes have a major influence in population genetics, and transposable elements play a key role in pan-genome evolution.

Influence on bone metabolism of dietary trace elements, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins.

PubMed

Sarazin, M; Alexandre, C; Thomas, T

2000-01-01

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial disease driven primarily by the genetic factors that control bone metabolism. Among environmental factors, diet may play a key role, affording a target for low-cost intervention. Calcium and vitamin D are well known to affect bone metabolism. Other nutrients may influence bone mass changes; for instance, a number of trace elements and vitamins other than vitamin D are essential to many of the steps of bone metabolism. A wide variety of foods provide these nutrients, and in industrialized countries deficiencies are more often due to idiosyncratic eating habits than to cultural influences. Both culture and vogue influence the amount of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the typical diet. In children, the current trend is to reduce protein and to increase carbohydrate and fat. Data from epidemiological and animal studies suggest that this may adversely affect bone mass and the fracture risk.

Upgrading Marine Ecosystem Restoration Using Ecological‐Social Concepts

PubMed Central

Abelson, Avigdor; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Reed, Daniel C.; Orth, Robert J.; Kendrick, Gary A.; Beck, Michael W.; Belmaker, Jonathan; Krause, Gesche; Edgar, Graham J.; Airoldi, Laura; Brokovich, Eran; France, Robert; Shashar, Nadav; de Blaeij, Arianne; Stambler, Noga; Salameh, Pierre; Shechter, Mordechai; Nelson, Peter A.

2015-01-01

Conservation and environmental management are principal countermeasures to the degradation of marine ecosystems and their services. However, in many cases, current practices are insufficient to reverse ecosystem declines. We suggest that restoration ecology, the science underlying the concepts and tools needed to restore ecosystems, must be recognized as an integral element for marine conservation and environmental management. Marine restoration ecology is a young scientific discipline, often with gaps between its application and the supporting science. Bridging these gaps is essential to using restoration as an effective management tool and reversing the decline of marine ecosystems and their services. Ecological restoration should address objectives that include improved ecosystem services, and it therefore should encompass social–ecological elements rather than focusing solely on ecological parameters. We recommend using existing management frameworks to identify clear restoration targets, to apply quantitative tools for assessment, and to make the re-establishment of ecosystem services a criterion for success. PMID:26977115

Mobilization of Selenite by Ralstonia metallidurans CH34

PubMed Central

Roux, Murielle; Sarret, Géraldine; Pignot-Paintrand, Isabelle; Fontecave, Marc; Coves, Jacques

2001-01-01

Ralstonia metallidurans CH34 (formerly Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34) is a soil bacterium characteristic of metal-contaminated biotopes, as it is able to grow in the presence of a variety of heavy metals. R. metallidurans CH34 is reported now to resist up to 6 mM selenite and to reduce selenite to elemental red selenium as shown by extended X-ray absorption fine-structure analysis. Growth kinetics analysis suggests an adaptation of the cells to the selenite stress during the lag-phase period. Depending on the culture conditions, the medium can be completely depleted of selenite. Selenium accumulates essentially in the cytoplasm as judged from electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Elemental selenium, highly insoluble, represents a nontoxic storage form for the bacterium. The ability of R. metallidurans CH34 to reduce large amounts of selenite may be of interest for bioremediation processes targeting selenite-polluted sites. PMID:11157242

Extensive gene content variation in the Brachypodium distachyon pan-genome correlates with population structure

DOE PAGES

Gordon, Sean P.; Contreras-Moreira, Bruno; Woods, Daniel P.; ...

2017-12-19

While prokaryotic pan-genomes have been shown to contain many more genes than any individual organism, the prevalence and functional significance of differentially present genes in eukaryotes remains poorly understood. Whole-genome de novo assembly and annotation of 54 lines of the grass Brachypodium distachyon yield a pan-genome containing nearly twice the number of genes found in any individual genome. Genes present in all lines are enriched for essential biological functions, while genes present in only some lines are enriched for conditionally beneficial functions (e.g., defense and development), display faster evolutionary rates, lie closer to transposable elements and are less likely tomore » be syntenic with orthologous genes in other grasses. Our data suggest that differentially present genes contribute substantially to phenotypic variation within a eukaryote species, these genes have a major influence in population genetics, and transposable elements play a key role in pan-genome evolution.« less

Controlling the intermediate structure of an ionic liquid for f-block element separations

DOE PAGES

Abney, Carter W.; Do, Changwoo; Luo, Huimin; ...

2017-04-19

Recent research has revealed molecular structure beyond the inner coordination sphere is essential in defining the performance of separations processes, but nevertheless remains largely unexplored. Here we apply small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy to investigate the structure of an ionic liquid system studied for f-block element separations. SANS data reveal dramatic changes in the ionic liquid microstructure (~150 Å) which we demonstrate can be controlled by judicious selection of counter ion. Mesoscale structural features (> 500 Å) are also observed as a function of metal concentration. XAFS analysis supports formation of extended aggregatemore » structures, similar to those observed in traditional solvent extraction processes, and suggest additional parallels may be drawn from further study. As a result, achieving precise tunability over the intermediate features is an important development in controlling mesoscale structure and realizing advanced new forms of soft matter.« less

Nanoparticles of barium induce apoptosis in human phagocytes.

PubMed

Mores, Luana; França, Eduardo Luzia; Silva, Núbia Andrade; Suchara, Eliane Aparecida; Honorio-França, Adenilda Cristina

2015-01-01

Nutrients and immunological factors of breast milk are essential for newborn growth and the development of their immune system, but this secretion can contain organic and inorganic toxins such as barium. Colostrum contamination with barium is an important issue to investigate because this naturally occurring element is also associated with human activity and industrial pollution. The study evaluated the administration of barium nanoparticles to colostrum, assessing the viability and functional activity of colostral mononuclear phagocytes. Colostrum was collected from 24 clinically healthy women (aged 18-35 years). Cell viability, superoxide release, intracellular Ca(2+) release, and phagocyte apoptosis were analyzed in the samples. Treatment with barium lowered mononuclear phagocyte viability, increased superoxide release, and reduced intracellular calcium release. In addition, barium increased cell death by apoptosis. These data suggest that nanoparticles of barium in colostrum are toxic to cells, showing the importance of avoiding exposure to this element.

Towards bio monitoring of toxic (lead) and essential elements in whole blood from 1- to 72-month old children: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kang-Sheng, Liu; Xiao-Dong, Mao; Juan, Shi; Chun-Fan, Dai; Pingqing, Gu

2015-06-01

Minerals such as zinc, copper, selenium, calcium, and magnesium are essential for normal human development and functioning of the body. They have been found to play important roles in immuno-physiologic functions. The study is to evaluate the distribution and correlation of nonessential (lead) and essential elements in whole blood from 1- to 72-month old children. The cross-sectional study was performed in 1551 children. Six element concentrations, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe) and lead (Pb) in the blood were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Distributions and correlations of trace elements in different age groups were analyzed and compared. A Pearson correlation controlled for age and gender was used to assess the relationship of non essential (lead) and essential elements. Levels of copper and magnesium were 18.09 ± 4.42 µmol/L and 1.42 ± 0.12 mmol/L, respectively. 6.04% of all children showed copper levels below the normal threshold, the levels of Magnesium were stable in different age groups. Though the overall mean blood zinc and iron concentrations (61.19 ± 11.30 µmol/L and 8.24 ± 0.59 mmol/L, respectively) gradually increased with age and the overall deficiency levels (24.1% and 36.0%, respectively) decreased with age, zinc and iron deficiencies were still very stable. Controlling for gender and age, significant positive correlations were found when comparing copper to zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron ((r = 0.333, 0.241, 0.417, 0.314 ,p < 0.01); zinc to magnesium and iron (r = 0.440, 0.497p < 0.01); and magnesium to Calcium and iron (r = 0.349, 0.645, p < 0.01). The overall mean blood lead levels (41.16 ± 16.10) were relatively unstable among different age groups. The prevalence of lead intoxication in all children was 1.3% .Calcium levels decreased gradually with age, with an overall concentration of 1.78 ± 0.13 mmol/L. Significant negative correlations were also noted between Pb and Zn, Fe (r = -0.179, -0.124.p < 0.01) .The importance of calcium deficiency and supplementation is well realized, but the severity of iron and zinc deficiency is not well recorded. The degree of lead intoxication in all the children studied was low; The established reference intervals for Cu, Zn, Ca and Mg provide an important guidance for the reasonable supplementation of essential elements during different age groups.

Translating the Elements of Health Governance for Integrated Care from Theory to Practice: A Case Study Approach.

PubMed

Nicholson, Caroline; Hepworth, Julie; Burridge, Letitia; Marley, John; Jackson, Claire

2018-01-31

Against a paucity of evidence, a model describing elements of health governance best suited to achieving integrated care internationally was developed. The aim of this study was to explore how health meso-level organisations used, or planned to use, the governance elements. A case study design was used to offer two contrasting contexts of health governance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who held senior governance roles. Data were thematically analysed to identify if the elements of health governance were being used, or intended to be in the future. While all participants agreed that the ten elements were essential to developing future integrated care, most were not used. Three major themes were identified: (1) organisational versus system focus, (2) leadership and culture, and, (3) community (dis)engagement. Several barriers and enablers to the use of the elements were identified and would require addressing in order to make evidence-based changes. Despite a clear international policy direction in support of integrated care this study identified a number of significant barriers to its implementation. The study reconfirmed that a focus on all ten elements of health governance is essential to achieve integrated care.

SilMush: A procedure for modeling of the geochemical evolution of silicic magmas and granitic rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertogen, Jan; Mareels, Joyce

2016-07-01

A boundary layer crystallization modeling program is presented that specifically addresses the chemical fractionation in silicic magma systems and the solidification of plutonic bodies. The model is a Langmuir (1989) type approach and does not invoke crystal settling in high-viscosity silicic melts. The primary aim is to model a granitic rock as a congealed crystal-liquid mush, and to integrate major element and trace element modeling. The procedure allows for some exploratory investigation of the exsolution of H2O-fluids and of the fluid/melt partitioning of trace elements. The procedure is implemented as a collection of subroutines for the MS Excel spreadsheet environment and is coded in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language. To increase the flexibility of the modeling, the procedure is based on discrete numeric process simulation rather than on solution of continuous differential equations. The program is applied to a study of the geochemical variation within and among three granitic units (Senones, Natzwiller, Kagenfels) from the Variscan Northern Vosges Massif, France. The three units cover the compositional range from monzogranite, over syenogranite to alkali-feldspar granite. An extensive set of new major element and trace element data is presented. Special attention is paid to the essential role of accessory minerals in the fractionation of the Rare Earth Elements. The crystallization model is able to reproduce the essential major and trace element variation trends in the data sets of the three separate granitic plutons. The Kagenfels alkali-feldspar leucogranite couples very limited variation in major element composition to a considerable and complex variation of trace elements. The modeling results can serve as a guide for the reconstruction of the emplacement sequence of petrographically distinct units. Although the modeling procedure essentially deals with geochemical fractionation within a single pluton, the modeling results bring up a number of questions about the petrogenetic relationships among parental magmas of nearly coeval granitic units emplaced in close proximity.

RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF METHYLMERCURY AND OTHER METAL(LOID)S IN MADAGASCAR UNPOLISHED RICE (Oryza sativa L.)

PubMed Central

Rothenberg, Sarah E.; Mgutshini, Noma L.; Bizimis, Michael; Johnson-Beebout, Sarah E.; Ramanantsoanirina, Alain

2014-01-01

The rice ingestion rate in Madagascar is among the highest globally; however studies concerning metal(loid) concentrations in Madagascar rice are lacking. For Madagascar unpolished rice (n=51 landraces), levels of toxic elements (e.g., total mercury, methylmercury, arsenic and cadmium) as well as essential micronutrients (e.g., zinc and selenium) were uniformly low, indicating potentially both positive and negative health effects. Aside from manganese (Wilcoxon rank sum, p<0.01), no significant differences in concentrations for all trace elements were observed between rice with red bran (n=20) and brown bran (n=31) (Wilcoxon rank sum, p=0.06–0.91). Compared to all elements in rice, rubidium (i.e., tracer for phloem transport) was most positively correlated with methylmercury (Pearson's r=0.33, p<0.05) and total mercury (r=0.44, p<0.05), while strontium (i.e., tracer for xylem transport) was least correlated with total mercury and methylmercury (r<0.01 for both), suggesting inorganic mercury and methylmercury were possibly more mobile in phloem compared to xylem. PMID:25463705

Relationship of magnetic field strength and brightness of fine-structure elements in the solar temperature minimum region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, J. W.; Ewing, J. A.

1990-01-01

A quantitative relationship was determined between magnetic field strength (or magnetic flux) from photospheric magnetograph observations and the brightness temperature of solar fine-structure elements observed at 1600 A, where the predominant flux source is continuum emission from the solar temperature minimum region. A Kitt Peak magnetogram and spectroheliograph observations at 1600 A taken during a sounding rocket flight of the High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph from December 11, 1987 were used. The statistical distributions of brightness temperature in the quiet sun at 1600 A, and absolute value of magnetic field strength in the same area were determined from these observations. Using a technique which obtains the best-fit relationship of a given functional form between these two histogram distributions, a quantitative relationship was determined between absolute value of magnetic field strength B and brightness temperature which is essentially linear from 10 to 150 G. An interpretation is suggested, in which a basal heating occurs generally, while brighter elements are produced in magnetic regions with temperature enhancements proportional to B.

Elemental identification of blue paintings traces present in historic cemeteries in the São Martinho region, southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Thiago G.; Richter, Fábio Andreas; Castro, Elisiana Trilha; Gonçalves, Samantha; Spudeit, Daniel A.; Micke, Gustavo A.

2018-03-01

Cemeteries are of great significance in many communities, often being considered of invaluable historical, artistic, architectural and cultural significance and thus they need to be preserved. In this regard, understanding the historical aspects and the construction techniques used is essential for their protection. The purpose of this paper is to describe historical aspects of the funerary heritage present in the region of São Martinho in southern Brazil, along with an analysis of the blue paint found in cemeteries of German colonies in the region studied. FTIR analysis suggests that the binder is composed mostly of a protein resin and a small amount of lipid. The morphology of the pigment was investigated by SEM and EDS and the spectra revealed that the major elements present in the blue pigment are Na, Al, Si and S, with an overlap in the elemental mapping, indicative of ultramarine pigments. The GC-MS results are consistent with the type of binder identified by FTIR and indicate a mixture of oils, probably from vegetal sources, and proteins.

Trace elements in oceanic pelagic communities in the western Indian Ocean.

PubMed

Bodin, Nathalie; Lesperance, Dora; Albert, Rona; Hollanda, Stephanie; Michaud, Philippe; Degroote, Maxime; Churlaud, Carine; Bustamante, Paco

2017-05-01

The mineral composition of target and non-target pelagic fish caught by purse-seiners and longliners in the western-central Indian Ocean was determined. From the 10 essential elements analysed, selenium and zinc showed the highest concentrations in swordfish and blue marlin while Indian mackerel appeared as a good source of copper, iron and chrome. All catch had levels of lead and cadmium, two toxic elements, below the maximum sanitary limits. Although some concerns were raised regarding mercury concentrations in the largest species (wahoo, swordfish and blue marlin), molar ratios of mercury and selenium indicate that all oceanic pelagic fish from the western-central Indian Ocean are safe for human consumption. This study also gives insights on the relationships between the levels of essential and toxic elements in fish muscle and the size, trophic position and diet sources of the studied pelagic species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E2F mediates induction of the Sp1-controlled promoter of the human DNA polymerase ɛ B-subunit gene POLE2

PubMed Central

Huang, Deqi; Jokela, Maarit; Tuusa, Jussi; Skog, Sven; Poikonen, Kari; Syväoja, Juhani E.

2001-01-01

The B-subunits of replicative DNA polymerases from Archaea to humans belong to the same protein family, suggesting that they share a common fundamental function. We report here the gene structure for the B-subunit of human DNA polymerase ɛ (POLE2), whose expression and transcriptional regulation is typical for replication proteins with some unique features. The 75 bp core promoter region, located within exon 1, contains an Sp1 element that is a critical determinant of promoter activity as shown by the luciferase reporter, electrophoretic mobility shift and DNase I footprinting assays. Two overlapping E2F elements adjacent to the Sp1 element are essential for full promoter activity and serum response. Binding sites for E2F1 and NF-1 reside immediately downstream from the core promoter region. Our results suggest that human POLE2 is regulated by two E2F–pocket protein complexes, one associated with Sp1 and the other with NF-1. So far, only one replicative DNA polymerase B-subunit gene promoter, POLA2 encoding the B-subunit of DNA polymerase α, has been characterized. Mitogenic activation of the POLE2 promoter by an E2F-mediated mechanism resembles that of POLA2, but the regulation of basal promoter activity is different between these two genes. PMID:11433027

MARS: A protein family involved in the formation of vertical skeletal elements.

PubMed

Abehsera, Shai; Peles, Shani; Tynyakov, Jenny; Bentov, Shmuel; Aflalo, Eliahu D; Li, Shihao; Li, Fuhua; Xiang, Jianhai; Sagi, Amir

2017-05-01

Vertical organizations of skeletal elements are found in various vertebrate teeth and invertebrate exoskeletons. The molecular mechanism behind the development of such structural organizations is poorly known, although it is generally held that organic matrix proteins play an essential role. While most crustacean cuticular organizations exhibit horizontal chitinous layering, a typical vertical organization is found towards the surface of the teeth in the mandibles of the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus. Candidate genes encoding for mandible-forming structural proteins were mined in C. quadricarinatus molt-related transcriptomic libraries by using a binary patterning approach. A new protein family, termed the Mandible Alanine Rich Structural (MARS) protein family, with a modular sequence design predicted to form fibers, was found. Investigations of spatial and temporal expression of the different MARS genes suggested specific expression in the mandibular teeth-forming epithelium, particularly during the formation of the chitinous vertical organization. MARS loss-of-function RNAi experiments resulted in the collapse of the organization of the chitin fibers oriented vertically to the surface of the crayfish mandibular incisor tooth. A general search of transcriptomic libraries suggested conservation of MARS proteins across a wide array of crustaceans. Our results provide a first look into the molecular mechanism used to build the complex crustacean mandible and into the specialized vertical structural solution that has evolved in skeletal elements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of stimulus modality and task integrality: Predicting dual-task performance and workload from single-task levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hart, S. G.; Shively, R. J.; Vidulich, M. A.; Miller, R. C.

1986-01-01

The influence of stimulus modality and task difficulty on workload and performance was investigated. The goal was to quantify the cost (in terms of response time and experienced workload) incurred when essentially serial task components shared common elements (e.g., the response to one initiated the other) which could be accomplished in parallel. The experimental tasks were based on the Fittsberg paradigm; the solution to a SternBERG-type memory task determines which of two identical FITTS targets are acquired. Previous research suggested that such functionally integrated dual tasks are performed with substantially less workload and faster response times than would be predicted by suming single-task components when both are presented in the same stimulus modality (visual). The physical integration of task elements was varied (although their functional relationship remained the same) to determine whether dual-task facilitation would persist if task components were presented in different sensory modalities. Again, it was found that the cost of performing the two-stage task was considerably less than the sum of component single-task levels when both were presented visually. Less facilitation was found when task elements were presented in different sensory modalities. These results suggest the importance of distinguishing between concurrent tasks that complete for limited resources from those that beneficially share common resources when selecting the stimulus modalities for information displays.

Chromatically corrected virtual image visual display. [reducing eye strain in flight simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahlbaum, W. M., Jr. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

An in-line, three element, large diameter, optical display lens is disclosed which has a front convex-convex element, a central convex-concave element, and a rear convex-convex element. The lens, used in flight simulators, magnifies an image presented on a television monitor and, by causing light rays leaving the lens to be in essentially parallel paths, reduces eye strain of the simulator operator.

Trace elements are associated with urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine level: a case study of college students in Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Lu, Shaoyou; Ren, Lu; Fang, Jianzhang; Ji, Jiajia; Liu, Guihua; Zhang, Jianqing; Zhang, Huimin; Luo, Ruorong; Lin, Kai; Fan, Ruifang

2016-05-01

Many trace heavy elements are carcinogenic and increase the incidence of cancer. However, a comprehensive study of the correlation between multiple trace elements and DNA oxidative damage is still lacking. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between the body burden of multiple trace elements and DNA oxidative stress in college students in Guangzhou, China. Seventeen trace elements in urine samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative stress, was also measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS). The concentrations of six essential elements including manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), and molybdenum (Mo), and five non-essential elements including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), aluminum (Al), stibium (Sb), and thallium (Tl), were found to be significantly correlated with urinary 8-OHdG levels. Moreover, urinary levels of Ni, Se, Mo, As, Sr, and Tl were strongly significantly correlated with 8-OHdG (P < 0.01) concentration. Environmental exposure and dietary intake of these trace elements may play important roles in DNA oxidative damage in the population of Guangzhou, China.

New Insights into the Classification and Integration Specificity of Streptococcus Integrative Conjugative Elements through Extensive Genome Exploration

PubMed Central

Ambroset, Chloé; Coluzzi, Charles; Guédon, Gérard; Devignes, Marie-Dominique; Loux, Valentin; Lacroix, Thomas; Payot, Sophie; Leblond-Bourget, Nathalie

2016-01-01

Recent genome analyses suggest that integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are widespread in bacterial genomes and therefore play an essential role in horizontal transfer. However, only a few of these elements are precisely characterized and correctly delineated within sequenced bacterial genomes. Even though previous analysis showed the presence of ICEs in some species of Streptococci, the global prevalence and diversity of ICEs was not analyzed in this genus. In this study, we searched for ICEs in the completely sequenced genomes of 124 strains belonging to 27 streptococcal species. These exhaustive analyses revealed 105 putative ICEs and 26 slightly decayed elements whose limits were assessed and whose insertion site was identified. These ICEs were grouped in seven distinct unrelated or distantly related families, according to their conjugation modules. Integration of these streptococcal ICEs is catalyzed either by a site-specific tyrosine integrase, a low-specificity tyrosine integrase, a site-specific single serine integrase, a triplet of site-specific serine integrases or a DDE transposase. Analysis of their integration site led to the detection of 18 target-genes for streptococcal ICE insertion including eight that had not been identified previously (ftsK, guaA, lysS, mutT, rpmG, rpsI, traG, and ebfC). It also suggests that all specificities have evolved to minimize the impact of the insertion on the host. This overall analysis of streptococcal ICEs emphasizes their prevalence and diversity and demonstrates that exchanges or acquisitions of conjugation and recombination modules are frequent. PMID:26779141

New Insights into the Classification and Integration Specificity of Streptococcus Integrative Conjugative Elements through Extensive Genome Exploration.

PubMed

Ambroset, Chloé; Coluzzi, Charles; Guédon, Gérard; Devignes, Marie-Dominique; Loux, Valentin; Lacroix, Thomas; Payot, Sophie; Leblond-Bourget, Nathalie

2015-01-01

Recent genome analyses suggest that integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are widespread in bacterial genomes and therefore play an essential role in horizontal transfer. However, only a few of these elements are precisely characterized and correctly delineated within sequenced bacterial genomes. Even though previous analysis showed the presence of ICEs in some species of Streptococci, the global prevalence and diversity of ICEs was not analyzed in this genus. In this study, we searched for ICEs in the completely sequenced genomes of 124 strains belonging to 27 streptococcal species. These exhaustive analyses revealed 105 putative ICEs and 26 slightly decayed elements whose limits were assessed and whose insertion site was identified. These ICEs were grouped in seven distinct unrelated or distantly related families, according to their conjugation modules. Integration of these streptococcal ICEs is catalyzed either by a site-specific tyrosine integrase, a low-specificity tyrosine integrase, a site-specific single serine integrase, a triplet of site-specific serine integrases or a DDE transposase. Analysis of their integration site led to the detection of 18 target-genes for streptococcal ICE insertion including eight that had not been identified previously (ftsK, guaA, lysS, mutT, rpmG, rpsI, traG, and ebfC). It also suggests that all specificities have evolved to minimize the impact of the insertion on the host. This overall analysis of streptococcal ICEs emphasizes their prevalence and diversity and demonstrates that exchanges or acquisitions of conjugation and recombination modules are frequent.

[Trace elements in serum of malnourished and well-nourished children living in Lubumbashi and Kawama].

PubMed

Musimwa, Aimée Mudekereza; Kanteng, Gray Wakamb; Kitoko, Hermann Tamubango; Luboya, Oscar Numbi

2016-01-01

The role of trace metals elements in human nutrition can no longer be ignored. Deficiency caused by inadequate dietary intake, secondary deficiencies often under - estimated, and iatrogenic deficiencies lead to pathologies such as infections and others. For this reason their dosages are particularly important to assess disease severity and to facilitate early treatment or improve patient's diet. The aim of this study was to determine trace elements profile in blood (copper, selenium, zinc, iron, chromium, cobalt, etc.) among malnourished and well-nourished children in a mining community in Lubumbashi. Three hundred eleven cases have been collected, 182 malnourished children and 129 well-nourished children in a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted from July 2013 to December 2014. Exhaustive sampling was performed. Metal determination in serum was performed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP-OES/MS) in the laboratory at Congolese Control Office in Lubumbashi. Essential trace elements (copper, zinc, selenium and iron) were found at very low concentrations in both the malnourished and well-nourished children. Arsenic, cadmium, magnesium and manganese concentrations were normal compared with reference values in well-nourished children Antimony, chromium, lead and cobalt levels were high in both the malnourished and well-nourished children. Nickel level was normal malnourished and well-nourished children. Magnesium, manganese were found in very low levels in malnourished children. Both the malnourished and well-nourished children suffer from deficiencies of essential trace elements associated with trace metals elements This allows to assume that essential micronutrients deficiency promotes the absorption of heavy metals.

Biomarkers of selenium status

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The essential trace element selenium (Se) has multiple biological activities, which depend on the level of Se intake. Relatively low Se intakes determine the expression of selenoenzymes in which it serves as an essential constituent. Higher intakes have been shown to have anti-tumorigenic potentia...

Hurricanes: Are You Prepared?

PubMed

Rodriguez, Fred H; Petersen, John; Selvaratnam, Rajeevan; Mann, Peggy; Hoyne, Jonathan B

2018-03-21

Severe weather events such as hurricanes have the potential to cause significant disruption of laboratory operations. Comprehensive planning is essential to mitigate the impact of such events. The essential elements of a Hurricane Plan, based on our personal experiences, are detailed in this article.

Micronutrients for Sustainable Agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The micronutrients are essential for plant growth and reproduction, however deficiencies of these elements is major cause of yield decline in many parts of the world. Micronutrients are essential for proper physiological and biological functions in plant. Climatic factors (hot humid climate), soil d...

Traffic at the tmRNA Gene

PubMed Central

Williams, Kelly P.

2003-01-01

A partial screen for genetic elements integrated into completely sequenced bacterial genomes shows more significant bias in specificity for the tmRNA gene (ssrA) than for any type of tRNA gene. Horizontal gene transfer, a major avenue of bacterial evolution, was assessed by focusing on elements using this single attachment locus. Diverse elements use ssrA; among enterobacteria alone, at least four different integrase subfamilies have independently evolved specificity for ssrA, and almost every strain analyzed presents a unique set of integrated elements. Even elements using essentially the same integrase can be very diverse, as is a group with an ssrA-specific integrase of the P4 subfamily. This same integrase appears to promote damage routinely at attachment sites, which may be adaptive. Elements in arrays can recombine; one such event mediated by invertible DNA segments within neighboring elements likely explains the monophasic nature of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. One of a limited set of conserved sequences occurs at the attachment site of each enterobacterial element, apparently serving as a transcriptional terminator for ssrA. Elements were usually found integrated into tRNA-like sequence at the 3′ end of ssrA, at subsites corresponding to those used in tRNA genes; an exception was found at the non-tRNA-like 3′ end produced by ssrA gene permutation in cyanobacteria, suggesting that, during the evolution of new site specificity by integrases, tropism toward a conserved 3′ end of an RNA gene may be as strong as toward a tRNA-like sequence. The proximity of ssrA and smpB, which act in concert, was also surveyed. PMID:12533482

Trace Elements Affect Methanogenic Activity and Diversity in Enrichments from Subsurface Coal Bed Produced Water

PubMed Central

Ünal, Burcu; Perry, Verlin Ryan; Sheth, Mili; Gomez-Alvarez, Vicente; Chin, Kuk-Jeong; Nüsslein, Klaus

2012-01-01

Microbial methane from coal beds accounts for a significant and growing percentage of natural gas worldwide. Our knowledge of physical and geochemical factors regulating methanogenesis is still in its infancy. We hypothesized that in these closed systems, trace elements (as micronutrients) are a limiting factor for methanogenic growth and activity. Trace elements are essential components of enzymes or cofactors of metabolic pathways associated with methanogenesis. This study examined the effects of eight trace elements (iron, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, boron, and copper) on methane production, on mcrA transcript levels, and on methanogenic community structure in enrichment cultures obtained from coal bed methane (CBM) well produced water samples from the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. Methane production was shown to be limited both by a lack of additional trace elements as well as by the addition of an overly concentrated trace element mixture. Addition of trace elements at concentrations optimized for standard media enhanced methane production by 37%. After 7 days of incubation, the levels of mcrA transcripts in enrichment cultures with trace element amendment were much higher than in cultures without amendment. Transcript levels of mcrA correlated positively with elevated rates of methane production in supplemented enrichments (R2 = 0.95). Metabolically active methanogens, identified by clone sequences of mcrA mRNA retrieved from enrichment cultures, were closely related to Methanobacterium subterraneum and Methanobacterium formicicum. Enrichment cultures were dominated by M. subterraneum and had slightly higher predicted methanogenic richness, but less diversity than enrichment cultures without amendments. These results suggest that varying concentrations of trace elements in produced water from different subsurface coal wells may cause changing levels of CBM production and alter the composition of the active methanogenic community. PMID:22590465

Achieving Successful School-University Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borthwick, Arlene C.; Stirling, Terry; Nauman, April D.; Cook, Dale L.

2003-01-01

Investigated essential elements required to establish and maintain successful school-university partnerships as reported by principals, teachers, and university coordinators involved in both voluntary and mandated partnerships. Results identified five factors representing different perspectives on key elements for successful partnerships, with…

Plasmodium falciparum centromeres display a unique epigenetic makeup and cluster prior to and during schizogony.

PubMed

Hoeijmakers, Wieteke A M; Flueck, Christian; Françoijs, Kees-Jan; Smits, Arne H; Wetzel, Johanna; Volz, Jennifer C; Cowman, Alan F; Voss, Till; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Bártfai, Richárd

2012-09-01

Centromeres are essential for the faithful transmission of chromosomes to the next generation, therefore being essential in all eukaryotic organisms. The centromeres of Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most severe form of malaria, have been broadly mapped on most chromosomes, but their epigenetic composition remained undefined. Here, we reveal that the centromeric histone variant PfCENH3 occupies a 4-4.5 kb region on each P. falciparum chromosome, which is devoid of pericentric heterochromatin but harbours another histone variant, PfH2A.Z. These CENH3 covered regions pinpoint the exact position of the centromere on all chromosomes and revealed that all centromeric regions have similar size and sequence composition. Immunofluorescence assay of PfCENH3 strongly suggests that P. falciparum centromeres cluster to a single nuclear location prior to and during mitosis and cytokinesis but dissociate soon after invasion. In summary, we reveal a dynamic association of Plasmodium centromeres, which bear a unique epigenetic signature and conform to a strict structure. These findings suggest that DNA-associated and epigenetic elements play an important role in centromere establishment in this important human pathogen. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Absence of mutation at the 5'-upstream promoter region of the TPM4 gene from cardiac mutant axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

PubMed

Denz, Christopher R; Zhang, Chi; Jia, Pingping; Du, Jianfeng; Huang, Xupei; Dube, Syamalima; Thomas, Anish; Poiesz, Bernard J; Dube, Dipak K

2011-09-01

Tropomyosins are a family of actin-binding proteins that show cell-specific diversity by a combination of multiple genes and alternative RNA splicing. Of the 4 different tropomyosin genes, TPM4 plays a pivotal role in myofibrillogenesis as well as cardiac contractility in amphibians. In this study, we amplified and sequenced the upstream regulatory region of the TPM4 gene from both normal and mutant axolotl hearts. To identify the cis-elements that are essential for the expression of the TPM4, we created various deletion mutants of the TPM4 promoter DNA, inserted the deleted segments into PGL3 vector, and performed promoter-reporter assay using luciferase as the reporter gene. Comparison of sequences of the promoter region of the TPM4 gene from normal and mutant axolotl revealed no mutations in the promoter sequence of the mutant TPM4 gene. CArG box elements that are generally involved in controlling the expression of several other muscle-specific gene promoters were not found in the upstream regulatory region of the TPM4 gene. In deletion experiments, loss of activity of the reporter gene was noted upon deletion which was then restored upon further deletion suggesting the presence of both positive and negative cis-elements in the upstream regulatory region of the TPM4 gene. We believe that this is the first axolotl promoter that has ever been cloned and studied with clear evidence that it functions in mammalian cell lines. Although striated muscle-specific cis-acting elements are absent from the promoter region of TPM4 gene, our results suggest the presence of positive and negative cis-elements in the promoter region, which in conjunction with positive and negative trans-elements may be involved in regulating the expression of TPM4 gene in a tissue-specific manner.

Associations between toxic and essential trace elements in maternal blood and fetal congenital heart defects.

PubMed

Ou, Yanqiu; Bloom, Michael S; Nie, Zhiqiang; Han, Fengzhen; Mai, Jinzhuang; Chen, Jimei; Lin, Shao; Liu, Xiaoqing; Zhuang, Jian

2017-09-01

Prenatal exposure to toxic trace elements, including heavy metals, is an important public health concern. Few studies have assessed if individual and multiple trace elements simultaneously affect cardiac development. The current study evaluated the association between maternal blood lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se) levels and congenital heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. This hospital-based case-control study included 112 case and 107 control infants. Maternal peripheral blood draw was made during gestational weeks 17-40 and used to determine trace element levels by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations and interactions between individual and multiple trace elements and fetal CHDs, adjusted for maternal age, parity, education, newborn gender, migrant, folic acid or multivitamin intake, cigarette smoking, maternal prepregnancy body mass index, and time of sample collection. Control participants had medians of 2.61μg/dL Pb, 1.76μg/L Cd, 3.57μg/L Cr, 896.56μg/L Cu, 4.17μg/L Hg, and 186.47μg/L Se in blood. In a model including all measured trace elements and adjusted for confounders, high levels of maternal Pb (OR=12.09, 95% CI: 2.81, 51.97) and Se (OR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.77) were harmful and protective predictors of CHDs, respectively, with positive and negative interactions suggested for Cd with Pb and Se with Pb, respectively. Similar associations were detected for subgroups of CHDs, including conotruncal defects, septal defects, and right ventricle outflow tract obstruction. Our results suggest that even under the current standard for protecting human health (10μg/dL), Pb exposure poses an important health threat. These data can be used for developing interventions and identifying high-risk pregnancies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Trace elements in Mediterranean seagrasses and macroalgae. A review.

PubMed

Bonanno, Giuseppe; Orlando-Bonaca, Martina

2018-03-15

This review investigates the current state of knowledge on the levels of the main essential and non-essential trace elements in Mediterranean vascular plants and macroalgae. The research focuses also on the so far known effects of high element concentrations on these marine organisms. The possible use of plants and algae as bioindicators of marine pollution is discussed as well. The presence of trace elements is overall well known in all five Mediterranean vascular plants, whereas current studies investigated element concentrations in only c. 5.0% of all native Mediterranean macroalgae. Although seagrasses and macroalgae can generally accumulate and tolerate high concentrations of trace elements, phytotoxic levels are still not clearly identified for both groups of organisms. Moreover, although the high accumulation of trace elements in seagrasses and macroalgae is considered as a significant risk for the associated food webs, the real magnitude of this risk has not been adequately investigated yet. The current research provides enough scientific evidence that seagrasses and macroalgae may act as effective bioindicators, especially the former for trace elements in sediments, and the latter in seawater. The combined use of seagrasses and macroalgae as bioindicators still lacks validated protocols, whose application should be strongly encouraged to biomonitor exhaustively the presence of trace elements in the abiotic and biotic components of coastal ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystal Structure Prediction via Deep Learning.

PubMed

Ryan, Kevin; Lengyel, Jeff; Shatruk, Michael

2018-06-06

We demonstrate the application of deep neural networks as a machine-learning tool for the analysis of a large collection of crystallographic data contained in the crystal structure repositories. Using input data in the form of multi-perspective atomic fingerprints, which describe coordination topology around unique crystallographic sites, we show that the neural-network model can be trained to effectively distinguish chemical elements based on the topology of their crystallographic environment. The model also identifies structurally similar atomic sites in the entire dataset of ~50000 crystal structures, essentially uncovering trends that reflect the periodic table of elements. The trained model was used to analyze templates derived from the known binary and ternary crystal structures in order to predict the likelihood to form new compounds that could be generated by placing elements into these structural templates in combinatorial fashion. Statistical analysis of predictive performance of the neural-network model, which was applied to a test set of structures never seen by the model during training, indicates its ability to predict known elemental compositions with a high likelihood of success. In ~30% of cases, the known compositions were found among top-10 most likely candidates proposed by the model. These results suggest that the approach developed in this work can be used to effectively guide the synthetic efforts in the discovery of new materials, especially in the case of systems composed of 3 or more chemical elements.

Associations between trace elements and clinical health parameters in the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) from Baja California Sur, Mexico.

PubMed

Ley-Quiñónez, César Paúl; Rossi-Lafferriere, Natalia Alejandra; Espinoza-Carreon, Teresa Leticia; Hart, Catherine Edwina; Peckham, Sherwood Hoyt; Aguirre, Alfredo Alonso; Zavala-Norzagaray, Alan Alfredo

2017-04-01

This study investigated selected trace elements toxicity in sea turtles Caretta caretta population from Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico, by analyzing associations among Zn, Se, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Hg with various biochemical parameters (packed cell volume, leukocytes, and selected blood parameters), and whether their concentrations could have an impact on the health status of sea turtles. Blood samples from 22 loggerhead (C. caretta) sea turtles from BCS, Mexico, were collected for trace elements on biochemistry parameter analyses. Significant associations among trace element levels and the biochemistry parameters were found: Cd vs ALP (R 2  = 0.874, p ˂ 0.001), As vs ALP (R 2  = 0.656, p ˂ 0.001), Mn vs ALP (R 2  = 0.834, p ˂ 0.001), and Ni vs LDH (R 2  = 0.587, p ˂ 0.001). This study is the first report of the biochemical parameters of the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle (C. caretta) from Baja California Sur, Mexico, and it is the first to observe several associations with toxic and essential trace elements. Our study reinforces the usefulness of blood for the monitoring of the levels of contaminating elements and the results suggest that, based on the associations with health clinical parameters, high levels of Cd and As could be representing a risk to the North Pacific loggerhead population health.

The Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus ac83 Gene Contains a cis-Acting Element That Is Essential for Nucleocapsid Assembly.

PubMed

Huang, Zhihong; Pan, Mengjia; Zhu, Silei; Zhang, Hao; Wu, Wenbi; Yuan, Meijin; Yang, Kai

2017-03-01

Baculoviridae is a family of insect-specific viruses that have a circular double-stranded DNA genome packaged within a rod-shaped capsid. The mechanism of baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly remains unclear. Previous studies have shown that deletion of the ac83 gene of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) blocks viral nucleocapsid assembly. Interestingly, the ac83 -encoded protein Ac83 is not a component of the nucleocapsid, implying a particular role for ac83 in nucleocapsid assembly that may be independent of its protein product. To examine this possibility, Ac83 synthesis was disrupted by insertion of a chloramphenicol resistance gene into its coding sequence or by deleting its promoter and translation start codon. Both mutants produced progeny viruses normally, indicating that the Ac83 protein is not required for nucleocapsid assembly. Subsequently, complementation assays showed that the production of progeny viruses required the presence of ac83 in the AcMNPV genome instead of its presence in trans Therefore, we reasoned that ac83 is involved in nucleocapsid assembly via an internal cis -acting element, which we named the nucleocapsid assembly-essential element (NAE). The NAE was identified to lie within nucleotides 1651 to 1850 of ac83 and had 8 conserved A/T-rich regions. Sequences homologous to the NAE were found only in alphabaculoviruses and have a conserved positional relationship with another essential cis -acting element that was recently identified. The identification of the NAE may help to connect the data of viral cis -acting elements and related proteins in the baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly, which is important for elucidating DNA-protein interaction events during this process. IMPORTANCE Virus nucleocapsid assembly usually requires specific cis -acting elements in the viral genome for various processes, such as the selection of the viral genome from the cellular nucleic acids, the cleavage of concatemeric viral genome replication intermediates, and the encapsidation of the viral genome into procapsids. In linear DNA viruses, such elements generally locate at the ends of the viral genome; however, most of these elements remain unidentified in circular DNA viruses (including baculovirus) due to their circular genomic conformation. Here, we identified a nucleocapsid assembly-essential element in the AcMNPV (the archetype of baculovirus) genome. This finding provides an important reference for studies of nucleocapsid assembly-related elements in baculoviruses and other circular DNA viruses. Moreover, as most of the previous studies of baculovirus nucleocapsid assembly have been focused on viral proteins, our study provides a novel entry point to investigate this mechanism via cis -acting elements in the viral genome. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

American Sign Language

MedlinePlus

... Langue des Signes Française).Today’s ASL includes some elements of LSF plus the original local sign languages, which over the years ... evolves. It can also be used to model the essential elements and organization of natural language. Another NIDCD-funded research team is ...

Contamination level, distribution and health risk assessment of heavy and toxic metallic and metalloid elements in a cultivated mushroom Pleurotus florida (Mont.) singer.

PubMed

Khani, Rouhollah; Moudi, Maryam; Khojeh, Vahid

2017-02-01

There are great concentrations of toxic metallic and metalloid elements such as lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium or silver in many species of mushrooms comparative to other fruits and vegetables. In this study, contamination with heavy and toxic metallic and metalloid elements in the cultivated mushroom of (Pleurotus florida (Mont.) Singer) is investigated. P. florida was cultivated on different substrates; wheat straw (as blank), wheat straw + pine cone, wheat straw + soybean straw and wheat straw + urea and the effects of these substrates on contamination levels of Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb were analyzed. The results showed that the concentrations of essential elements (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) in the target mushroom are at the typical levels. The estimated daily intakes of studied metallic and metalloid elements were below their oral reference dosage mentioned by the international regulatory bodies. Health risk index (HRI) was calculated to evaluate the consumer's health risk assessment from the metal intake that contaminated in the cultivated mushroom of P. florida on the different nutrient sources. In this study, the individual HRIs were less than 1, which indicates insignificant potential health risk associated with the consumption of target mushroom from the studied substrates. Based on the HRIs values among the toxic metallic and metalloid elements, As in the target mushroom in the substrate of the wheat straw + pine cone is the main sources of risk, and it may cause severe health problems. Thus, this study suggests that the concentrations of heavy and toxic elements should be periodically monitored in cultivated mushrooms.

Dietary exposure estimates of 14 trace elements in Xuanwei and Fuyuan, two high lung cancer incidence areas in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Linlin; Lv, Jungang; Liao, Chunyang

2012-06-01

Xuanwei and Fuyuan, located in the Yunnan province in southwest of China, are known to have a strikingly high incidence of lung cancer. Among the many factors that have been explored, the association between lung cancer and trace elements has not received enough attention. In this study, dietary samples were collected from 60 families of the lung cancer and control groups and abundances of 14 trace elements were determined using inductively coupled-plasma mass spectroscopy. Accuracy and sensitivity of the method were demonstrated by analyzing national standard reference materials. The results showed that the dietary intake of the trace elements contributed 96.6% of total intake. Among the 14 elements tested, cadmium and titanium were found to be present at a significantly higher level in the food consumed by the cancer group than by the control group. The intake of selenium by the population living in the areas is much lower than what it should be, with the people in the cancer group experiencing even more severe selenium deficiency. In addition, in both groups, the intakes of several essential elements (iron, copper, and zinc) from food and the drinking water were found to be significantly lower than required according to the Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes. The present study of the relationship between trace element intakes of lung cancer cases and controls provides important information urgently needed for the assessment of lung cancer risk of healthy subjects. The study also gives rational dietary suggestions to local residents which is important to the early diagnosis and pretreatment of lung cancer.

A Rac Homolog Is Required for Induction of Hyphal Growth in the Dimorphic Yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

PubMed Central

Hurtado, Cleofe A. R.; Beckerich, Jean-Marie; Gaillardin, Claude; Rachubinski, Richard A.

2000-01-01

Dimorphism in fungi is believed to constitute a mechanism of response to adverse conditions and represents an important attribute for the development of virulence by a number of pathogenic fungal species. We have isolated YlRAC1, a gene encoding a 192-amino-acid protein that is essential for hyphal growth in the dimorphic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and which represents the first Rac homolog described for fungi. YlRAC1 is not an essential gene, and its deletion does not affect the ability to mate or impair actin polarization in Y. lipolytica. However, strains lacking functional YlRAC1 show alterations in cell morphology, suggesting that the function of YlRAC1 may be related to some aspect of the polarization of cell growth. Northern blot analysis showed that transcription of YlRAC1 increases steadily during the yeast-to-hypha transition, while Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA suggested the presence of several RAC family members in Y. lipolytica. Interestingly, strains lacking functional YlRAC1 are still able to grow as the pseudohyphal form and to invade agar, thus pointing to a function for YlRAC1 downstream of MHY1, a previously isolated gene encoding a C2H2-type zinc finger protein with the ability to bind putative stress response elements and whose activity is essential for both hyphal and pseudohyphal growth in Y. lipolytica. PMID:10762235

Small-scale geochemical cycles and the distribution of uranium in central and north Florida organic deposits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, P.A.

1993-03-01

The global geochemical cycle for an element tracks its path from its various sources to its sinks via processes of weathering and transportation. The cycle may then be quantified in a necessarily approximate manner. The geochemical cycle (thus quantified) reveals constraints (known and unknown) on an element's behavior imposed by the various processes which act on it. In the context of a global geochemical cycle, a continent becomes essentially a source term. If, however, an element's behavior is examined in a local or regional context, sources and their related sinks may be identified. This suggests that small-scale geochemical cycles maymore » be superimposed on global geochemical cycles. Definition of such sub-cycles may clarify the distribution of an element in the earth's near-surface environment. In Florida, phosphate minerals of the Hawthorn Group act as a widely distributed source of uranium. Uranium is transported by surface- and ground-waters. Florida is the site of extensive wetlands and peatlands. The organic matter associated with these deposits adsorbs uranium and may act as a local sink depending on its hydrogeologic setting. This work examines the role of organic matter in the distribution of uranium in the surface and shallow subsurface environments of central and north Florida.« less

[Ultrastructural and immunocytochemical analysis of the synaptonemal complex at the initiation of synapsis].

PubMed

Flores-Rivera, E; Villegas-Castrejon, H; Vazquez-Nin, G H

1996-04-01

The synaptonemal complexes (SCs) are nuclear structures specific for meiosis. They have a central role in homolog chromosomes coupling; they are essential in crossing over events and chromosomic segregation during the first meiotic division. When its joining ends in pakiteno stage, each synaptonemal extends along the bivalent joining the ends to nuclear wrapping. The SCs are characterized by the presence of two lateral elements and a central region. The lateral elements are parallel and equidistant. The chromatine of homolog chromosomes fixes in a series of loops to these elements. The central region is between the lateral elements. It is formed by the latero-medial fibers and the medial element. The first ones are perpendicularly oriented to the longitudinal axis of CS and connect lateral elements with the medial element. The recombination modules have an active role in recombination processes and quiasma formation, they are associated, at intervals, with the central region among the homolog chromosomes. The localization and function of nucleic acids in formation and coupling of synaptonemal complex is little known, so methodologic alternatives are looked for to resolve this type of problems. In this work, ADN distribution in chicken ovocytes in cigotene, using techniques for electronic microscopy of immuno-oro, were studied. Besides, cytochemical techniques, were used as preferential contrast for ADN or preferential for ribonucleoproteins (RNPs). The combination of preferential tincture for RNPs and immunolocalization of ADN show that chromatin accumulates jointly with ribonucleoproteins in nor coupled lateral elements and the presence of numerous RNPs fibers distributed around lateral elements. Recombination nodules were found among lateral elements during the coupling, these nodules are PTA positives, which means ADN presence, and so, ADN presence among lateral elements. THe presence of a bridge of marked fibers with coloidal gold (ADN) uniting not coupled lateral elements, suggests ADN as a sort of macromollecule forming synapsis sites.

Regulation of ion homeostasis in plants: current approaches and future challenges.

PubMed

Rouached, Hatem; Secco, David; Arpat, Bulak A

2010-05-01

The dependency of plants on essential macro- and micro-elements to complete their life cycle serves as a major entry point of these elements into the global food web. However, plants often face depletion of one or more essential elements limiting their growth. Thus, in modern agriculture, improving plant mineral nutrition has gained fundamental importance in order to address the issue of sustainable food resources for the growing world population. Heavy fertilization of soil was, for long time, chosen as a strategy to cope with the deficiency of these elements. Yet, this strategy is neither economically nor ecologically conceivable at long-term. As an alternative, genetic and breeding approaches that provide plants new characteristics enabling them to grow in nutrient-depleted soils, has become a major focal interest. The research emphasis so far has been on elucidating the molecular physiology of individual nutritive elements. However, in practice, application of such knowledge is hindered by complex cross-talks, which are emerging in the face of new data, between these elements. Developing integrative approaches, combining genetic, comparative genomics and 'omics' platforms, is crucial to untangle the interconnected signaling networks regulating ion homeostasis in plants.

Distribution of elements in individual blood cells in metabolic disorders at the cellular level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johansson, Erland; Lindh, Ulf

1985-08-01

In comparison with controls neutrophil granulocytes from Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (INCL), Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia (L) and Aplastic Anemia (AA) displayed significant alterations in essential and non-essential elements which might be interpreted as fingerprints of these deseases. The neutrophils from RA patients displayed alterations in the concentrations of iron, calcium, strontium, manganese, zinc and copper. INCL displayed alterations in the concentrations of iron and copper but in the INCL disease the iron concentration was about 2 times higher than in RA. In leukemia, aluminium was observed but not in the controls (< 0.5 μg/ g). The zinc concentration was lowered in leukemia. Aplastic anemia displayed alterations in zirconium, arsenic, molybdenum, iron and zinc. The platelets from RA, INCL, L and AA patients also displayed alterations in the elemental profiles. The platelets from AA patients displayed a unique elemental distribution of arsenic, zirconium and molybdenum. The elemental profiles of the thrombocytes and neutrophils might be used as a complement in the diagnosis of the examined diseases and in therapy the elemental profile might be used to monitor drugs at the cellular level.

Parallel Semi-Implicit Spectral Element Atmospheric Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fournier, A.; Thomas, S.; Loft, R.

2001-05-01

The shallow-water equations (SWE) have long been used to test atmospheric-modeling numerical methods. The SWE contain essential wave-propagation and nonlinear effects of more complete models. We present a semi-implicit (SI) improvement of the Spectral Element Atmospheric Model to solve the SWE (SEAM, Taylor et al. 1997, Fournier et al. 2000, Thomas & Loft 2000). SE methods are h-p finite element methods combining the geometric flexibility of size-h finite elements with the accuracy of degree-p spectral methods. Our work suggests that exceptional parallel-computation performance is achievable by a General-Circulation-Model (GCM) dynamical core, even at modest climate-simulation resolutions (>1o). The code derivation involves weak variational formulation of the SWE, Gauss(-Lobatto) quadrature over the collocation points, and Legendre cardinal interpolators. Appropriate weak variation yields a symmetric positive-definite Helmholtz operator. To meet the Ladyzhenskaya-Babuska-Brezzi inf-sup condition and avoid spurious modes, we use a staggered grid. The SI scheme combines leapfrog and Crank-Nicholson schemes for the nonlinear and linear terms respectively. The localization of operations to elements ideally fits the method to cache-based microprocessor computer architectures --derivatives are computed as collections of small (8x8), naturally cache-blocked matrix-vector products. SEAM also has desirable boundary-exchange communication, like finite-difference models. Timings on on the IBM SP and Compaq ES40 supercomputers indicate that the SI code (20-min timestep) requires 1/3 the CPU time of the explicit code (2-min timestep) for T42 resolutions. Both codes scale nearly linearly out to 400 processors. We achieved single-processor performance up to 30% of peak for both codes on the 375-MHz IBM Power-3 processors. Fast computation and linear scaling lead to a useful climate-simulation dycore only if enough model time is computed per unit wall-clock time. An efficient SI solver is essential to substantially increase this rate. Parallel preconditioning for an iterative conjugate-gradient elliptic solver is described. We are building a GCM dycore capable of 200 GF% lOPS sustained performance on clustered RISC/cache architectures using hybrid MPI/OpenMP programming.

Translating the Elements of Health Governance for Integrated Care from Theory to Practice: A Case Study Approach

PubMed Central

Hepworth, Julie; Burridge, Letitia; Marley, John; Jackson, Claire

2018-01-01

Introduction: Against a paucity of evidence, a model describing elements of health governance best suited to achieving integrated care internationally was developed. The aim of this study was to explore how health meso-level organisations used, or planned to use, the governance elements. Methods: A case study design was used to offer two contrasting contexts of health governance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who held senior governance roles. Data were thematically analysed to identify if the elements of health governance were being used, or intended to be in the future. Results: While all participants agreed that the ten elements were essential to developing future integrated care, most were not used. Three major themes were identified: (1) organisational versus system focus, (2) leadership and culture, and, (3) community (dis)engagement. Discussion: Several barriers and enablers to the use of the elements were identified and would require addressing in order to make evidence-based changes. Conclusion: Despite a clear international policy direction in support of integrated care this study identified a number of significant barriers to its implementation. The study reconfirmed that a focus on all ten elements of health governance is essential to achieve integrated care. PMID:29588645

Evidence of Coal-Fly-Ash Toxic Chemical Geoengineering in the Troposphere: Consequences for Public Health.

PubMed

Herndon, J Marvin

2015-08-11

The widespread, intentional and increasingly frequent chemical emplacement in the troposphere has gone unidentified and unremarked in the scientific literature for years. The author presents evidence that toxic coal combustion fly ash is the most likely aerosolized particulate sprayed by tanker-jets for geoengineering, weather-modification and climate-modification purposes and describes some of the multifold consequences on public health. Two methods are employed: (1) Comparison of 8 elements analyzed in rainwater, leached from aerosolized particulates, with corresponding elements leached into water from coal fly ash in published laboratory experiments, and (2) Comparison of 14 elements analyzed in dust collected outdoors on a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter with corresponding elements analyzed in un-leached coal fly ash material. The results show: (1) the assemblage of elements in rainwater and in the corresponding experimental leachate are essentially identical. At a 99% confidence interval, they have identical means (T-test) and identical variances (F-test); and (2) the assemblage of elements in the HEPA dust and in the corresponding average un-leached coal fly ash are likewise essentially identical. The consequences on public health are profound, including exposure to a variety of toxic heavy metals, radioactive elements, and neurologically-implicated chemically mobile aluminum released by body moisture in situ after inhalation or through transdermal induction.

Essentiality, Toxicity and Uncertainty in the Risk Assessment of Manganese

EPA Science Inventory

Risk assessments of manganese by inhalation or oral routes of exposure typically acknowledge the duality of manganese as an essential element at low doses and a toxic metal at high doses. Previously, however, risk assessors were unable to describe manganese pharmacokinetics quant...

Trace elements in ALS patients and their relationships with clinical severity.

PubMed

Oggiano, Riccardo; Solinas, Giuliana; Forte, Giovanni; Bocca, Beatrice; Farace, Cristiano; Pisano, Andrea; Sotgiu, Maria Alessandra; Clemente, Simonetta; Malaguarnera, Michele; Fois, Alessandro Giuseppe; Pirina, Pietro; Montella, Andrea; Madeddu, Roberto

2018-04-01

An exploratory study of trace elements in ALS and their relationships with clinical severity was detected. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes irreversible damage in humans, with the consequent loss of function of motoneurons (MNs), with a prognosis up to 5 years after diagnosis. Except to genetic rare cases it is not known the etiology of the disorder. Aim of our research is to investigate the possible role of heavy metals in the severity of the disease. In this study, by the use of plasma mass (ICP-MS), we have analyzed the content of essential and heavy metals such: Pb, Cd, Al, Hg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Mg, and Ca, in blood, urine and hair of ALS patients and controls; moreover we divided the patients in two groups for disease severity and analyzed the difference among the groups, in order to study a possible involvement of metals in the severity of the damage. Our results suggest a protective role of Selenium, involved in protective antioxidant mechanisms, and a risk factor in the case of presence of Lead in blood. The levels of the other metals are not easy to interpret, because these may be due to life style and for essential metals a consequence of the disease condition, not a cause. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adjacent DNA sequences modulate Sox9 transcriptional activation at paired Sox sites in three chondrocyte-specific enhancer elements

PubMed Central

Bridgewater, Laura C.; Walker, Marlan D.; Miller, Gwen C.; Ellison, Trevor A.; Holsinger, L. Daniel; Potter, Jennifer L.; Jackson, Todd L.; Chen, Reuben K.; Winkel, Vicki L.; Zhang, Zhaoping; McKinney, Sandra; de Crombrugghe, Benoit

2003-01-01

Expression of the type XI collagen gene Col11a2 is directed to cartilage by at least three chondrocyte-specific enhancer elements, two in the 5′ region and one in the first intron of the gene. The three enhancers each contain two heptameric sites with homology to the Sox protein-binding consensus sequence. The two sites are separated by 3 or 4 bp and arranged in opposite orientation to each other. Targeted mutational analyses of these three enhancers showed that in the intronic enhancer, as in the other two enhancers, both Sox sites in a pair are essential for enhancer activity. The transcription factor Sox9 binds as a dimer at the paired sites, and the introduction of insertion mutations between the sites demonstrated that physical interactions between the adjacently bound proteins are essential for enhancer activity. Additional mutational analyses demonstrated that although Sox9 binding at the paired Sox sites is necessary for enhancer activity, it alone is not sufficient. Adjacent DNA sequences in each enhancer are also required, and mutation of those sequences can eliminate enhancer activity without preventing Sox9 binding. The data suggest a new model in which adjacently bound proteins affect the DNA bend angle produced by Sox9, which in turn determines whether an active transcriptional enhancer complex is assembled. PMID:12595563

Retrospective revaluation and its neural circuit in rats.

PubMed

San-Galli, Aurore; Marchand, Alain R; Decorte, Laurence; Di Scala, Georges

2011-10-01

Contingency learning is essential for establishing predictive or causal judgements. Retrospective revaluation captures essential aspects of the updating of this knowledge, according to new experience. In the present study, retrospective revaluation and its neural substrate was investigated in a rat conditioned magazine approach. One element of a previously food-reinforced Tone-Light compound stimulus was either further reinforced (inflation) or extinguished (extinction). These treatments affected the predictive value of the alternate stimulus (target), but only when the target was a weakly salient stimulus such as a Light, and the inflation/extinction procedure concerned the more salient element, that is the Tone. As the predictive value of the Light was decreased in comparison with a relevant control group, this revaluation was interpreted as backward blocking, and not unovershadowing. This observation challenges retrospective revaluation models focused on acquisition and prediction error detection, and is better accounted for by retrieval-based associative theories such as the comparator model (Miller and Matzel) [5]. Immunohistochemical detection of the Fos protein after the test phase revealed activation of the orbitofrontal and infralimbic cortices as well as nucleus accumbens core and shell, in rats that exhibited retrospective revaluation. Our results suggest that rats integrate successive experiences at the retrieval stage of retrospective revaluation, and that prefronto-accumbal interactions are involved in this function. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association of urinary metal profiles with altered glucose levels and diabetes risk: a population-based study in China.

PubMed

Feng, Wei; Cui, Xiuqing; Liu, Bing; Liu, Chuanyao; Xiao, Yang; Lu, Wei; Guo, Huan; He, Meian; Zhang, Xiaomin; Yuan, Jing; Chen, Weihong; Wu, Tangchun

2015-01-01

Elevated heavy metals and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels were both associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, studies on the associations of heavy metals and essential elements with altered FPG and diabetes risk were limited or conflicting. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential associations of heavy metals and essential trace elements with FPG and diabetes risk among general Chinese population. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the associations of urinary concentrations of 23 metals with FPG, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes among 2242 community-based Chinese adults in Wuhan. We used the false discovery rate (FDR) method to correct for multiple hypothesis tests. After adjusting for potential confounders, urinary aluminum, titanium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium, rubidium, strontium, molybdenum, cadmium, antimony, barium, tungsten and lead were associated with altered FPG, IFG or diabetes risk (all P< 0.05); arsenic was only dose-dependently related to diabetes (P< 0.05). After additional adjustment for multiple testing, titanium, copper, zinc, selenium, rubidium, tungsten and lead were still significantly associated with one or more outcomes (all FDR-adjusted P< 0.05). Our results suggest that multiple metals in urine are associated with FPG, IFG or diabetes risk. Because the cross-sectional design precludes inferences about causality, further prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings.

Bromine is an essential trace element for assembly of collagen IV scaffolds in tissue development and architecture

PubMed Central

McCall, A. Scott; Cummings, Christopher F.; Bhave, Gautam; Vanacore, Roberto; Page-McCaw, Andrea; Hudson, Billy G.

2014-01-01

Summary Bromine is ubiquitously present in animals as ionic bromide (Br−) yet has no known essential function. Herein, we demonstrate that Br− is a required cofactor for peroxidasin-catalyzed formation of sulfilimine crosslinks, a post-translational modification essential for tissue development and architecture found within the collagen IV scaffold of basement membranes (BMs). Bromide, converted to hypobromous acid, forms a bromosulfonium-ion intermediate that energetically selects for sulfilimine formation. Dietary Br-deficiency is lethal in Drosophila while Br-replenishment restores viability, demonstrating its physiologic requirement. Importantly, Br-deficient flies phenocopy the developmental and BM defects observed in peroxidasin mutants and indicate a functional connection between Br−, collagen IV, and peroxidasin. We establish that Br− is required for sulfilimine formation within collagen IV, an event critical for BM assembly and tissue development. Thus, bromine is an essential trace element for all animals and its deficiency may be relevant to BM alterations observed in nutritional and smoking related disease. PMID:24906154

Mineral resource of the month: phosphate rock

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jasinski, Stephen M.

2007-01-01

Phosphate rock minerals provide the only significant global resources of phosphorus, which is an essential element for plant and animal nutrition. Phosphate rock is used primarily as a principal component of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, but also to produce elemental phosphorus and animal feed.

Technology Systems. Laboratory Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brame, Ray; And Others

This guide contains 43 modules of laboratory activities for technology education courses. Each module includes an instructor's resource sheet and the student laboratory activity. Instructor's resource sheets include some or all of the following elements: module number, course title, activity topic, estimated time, essential elements, objectives,…

Biogeochemical processes underpin ecosystem services

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elemental cycling is critical to the function of ecosystems and delivery of key ecosystem services because many of these elements are essential nutrients or detrimental toxicants that directly affect the health of organisms and ecosystems. A team of authors from North Carolina State University and ...

Plant macro- and micronutrient minerals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

All plants must obtain a number of inorganic mineral elements from their environment to ensure successful growth and development of both vegetative and reproductive tissues. A total of fourteen mineral nutrients are considered to be essential. Several other elements have been shown to have beneficia...

Indoor metallic pollution and children exposure in a mining city.

PubMed

Barbieri, Enio; Fontúrbel, Francisco E; Herbas, Cristian; Barbieri, Flavia L; Gardon, Jacques

2014-07-15

Mining industries are known for causing strong environmental contamination. In most developing countries, the management of mining wastes is not adequate, usually contaminating soil, water and air. This situation is a source of concern for human settlements located near mining centers, especially for vulnerable populations such as children. The aim of this study was to assess the correlations of the metallic concentrations between household dust and children hair, comparing these associations in two different contamination contexts: a mining district and a suburban non-mining area. We collected 113 hair samples from children between 7 and 12 years of age in elementary schools in the mining city of Oruro, Bolivia. We collected 97 indoor dust samples from their households, as well as information about the children's behavior. Analyses of hair and dust samples were conducted to measure As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn, Cu and Zn contents. In the mining district, there were significant correlations between non-essential metallic elements (As, Cd, Pb, Sb and Sn) in dust and hair, but not for essential elements (Cu and Zn), which remained after adjusting for children habits. Children who played with dirt had higher dust-hair correlations for Pb, Sb, and Cu (P=0.006; 0.022 and 0.001 respectively) and children who put hands or toys in their mouths had higher dust-hair correlations of Cd (P=0.011). On the contrary, in the suburban area, no significant correlations were found between metallic elements in dust and children hair and neither children behavior nor gender modified this lack of associations. Our results suggest that, in a context of high metallic contamination, indoor dust becomes an important exposure pathway for children, modulated by their playing behavior. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamic Considerations of Contamination by Alloying Elements of Remelted End-of-Life Nickel- and Cobalt-Based Superalloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xin; Matsubae, Kazuyo; Nakajima, Kenichi; Nakamura, Shinichiro; Nagasaka, Tetsuya

2016-06-01

Cobalt and nickel are high-value commodity metals and are mostly used in the form of highly alloyed materials. The alloying elements used may cause contamination problems during recycling. To ensure maximum resource efficiency, an understanding of the removability of these alloying elements and the controllability of some of the primary alloying elements is essential with respect to the recycling of end-of-life (EoL) nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys by remelting. In this study, the distribution behaviors of approximately 30 elements that are usually present in EoL nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys in the solvent metal (nickel, cobalt, or nickel-cobalt alloy), oxide slag, and gas phases during the remelting were quantitatively evaluated using a thermodynamic approach. The results showed that most of the alloying elements can be removed either in the slag phase or into the gas phase. However, the removal of copper, tin, arsenic, and antimony by remelting is difficult, and they remain as tramp elements during the recycling. On the other hand, the distribution tendencies of iron, molybdenum, and tungsten can be controlled by changing the remelting conditions. To increase the resource efficiency of recycling, preventing contamination by the tramp elements and identifying the alloying compositions of EoL superalloys are significantly essential, which will require the development of efficient prior alloy-sorting systems and advanced separation technologies.

A general algorithm using finite element method for aerodynamic configurations at low speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramanian, R.

1975-01-01

A finite element algorithm for numerical simulation of two-dimensional, incompressible, viscous flows was developed. The Navier-Stokes equations are suitably modelled to facilitate direct solution for the essential flow parameters. A leap-frog time differencing and Galerkin minimization of these model equations yields the finite element algorithm. The finite elements are triangular with bicubic shape functions approximating the solution space. The finite element matrices are unsymmetrically banded to facilitate savings in storage. An unsymmetric L-U decomposition is performed on the finite element matrices to obtain the solution for the boundary value problem.

Maternal transfer of trace elements in the Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus).

PubMed

Bakker, Aaron K; Dutton, Jessica; Sclafani, Matthew; Santangelo, Nicholas

2017-01-01

The maternal transfer of trace elements is a process by which offspring may accumulate trace elements from their maternal parent. Although maternal transfer has been assessed in many vertebrates, there is little understanding of this process in invertebrate species. This study investigated the maternal transfer of 13 trace elements (Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs and compared concentrations to those in adult leg and gill tissue. For the majority of individuals, all trace elements were transferred, with the exception of Cr, from the female to the eggs. The greatest concentrations on average transferred to egg tissue were Zn (140 µg/g), Cu (47.8 µg/g), and Fe (38.6 µg/g) for essential elements and As (10.9 µg/g) and Ag (1.23 µg/g) for nonessential elements. For elements that were maternally transferred, correlation analyses were run to assess if the concentration in the eggs were similar to that of adult tissue that is completely internalized (leg) or a boundary to the external environment (gill). Positive correlations between egg and leg tissue were found for As, Hg, Se, Mn, Pb, and Ni. Mercury, Mn, Ni, and Se were the only elements correlated between egg and gill tissue. Although, many trace elements were in low concentration in the eggs, we speculate that the higher transfer of essential elements is related to their potential benefit during early development versus nonessential trace elements, which are known to be toxic. We conclude that maternal transfer as a source of trace elements to horseshoe crabs should not be overlooked and warrants further investigation.

The role of marine biotoxins on the trophic transfer of Mn and Zn in fish.

PubMed

Pouil, Simon; Clausing, Rachel J; Metian, Marc; Bustamante, Paco; Dechraoui Bottein, Marie-Yasmine

2018-05-01

Essential nutrients are critical for physiological processes of organisms. In fish, they are obtained primarily from the diet, and their transfer and accumulation are known to be impacted by environmental variables such as water temperature, pH and salinity, as well as by diet composition and matrices. Yet, prey items consumed by fish may also contain toxic compounds such as marine toxins associated with harmful algae. These biotoxins have the potential to affect essential trace element assimilation in fish through chemical interactions such as the formation of trace element-toxin complexes or by affecting general fish physiology as in the modification of ion-specific transport pathways. We assessed the influence of dietary exposure to brevetoxins (PbTxs), ichthyotoxic neurotoxins produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis, on trophic transfer of two essential trace elements, Mn and Zn, in a fish model. Using ecologically relevant concentrations of PbTxs and trace elements in controlled laboratory conditions, juvenile turbots Scophthalmus maximus were given food containing PbTxs before or at the same time as a feeding with radiotracers of the chosen essential elements ( 54 Mn and 65 Zn). Treatments included simultaneous exposure (PbTxs +  54 Mn +  65 Zn) in a single-feeding, 3-week daily pre-exposure to dietary PbTx followed by a single feeding with 54 Mn and 65 Zn, and a control ( 54 Mn and 65 Zn only). After a 21-day depuration period, turbot tissue brevetoxin levels were quantified and assimilation efficiencies of 54 Mn and 65 Zn were assessed. PbTxs were found in turbot tissues in each exposure treatment, demonstrating dietary trophic transfer of these toxins; yet, no differences in assimilation efficiencies of Mn or Zn were found between treatments or the control (p > 0.05). These results indicate that, in our experimental conditions, PbTx exposure does not significantly affect the trophic transfer of Mn and Zn in fish. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trace element reference intervals in the blood of healthy green sea turtles to evaluate exposure of coastal populations.

PubMed

Villa, C A; Flint, M; Bell, I; Hof, C; Limpus, C J; Gaus, C

2017-01-01

Exposure to essential and non-essential elements may be elevated for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) that forage close to shore. Biomonitoring of trace elements in turtle blood can identify temporal trends over repeated sampling events, but any interpretation of potential health risks due to an elevated exposure first requires a comparison against a baseline. This study aims to use clinical reference interval (RI) methods to produce exposure baseline limits for essential and non-essential elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, and Pb) using blood from healthy subadult turtles foraging in a remote and offshore part of the Great Barrier Reef. Subsequent blood biomonitoring of three additional coastal populations, which forage in areas dominated by agricultural, urban and military activities, showed clear habitat-specific differences in blood metal profiles relative to the those observed in the offshore population. Coastal turtles were most often found to have elevated concentrations of Co, Mo, Mn, Mg, Na, As, Sb, and Pb relative to the corresponding RIs. In particular, blood from turtles from the agricultural site had Co concentrations ranging from 160 to 840 μg/L (4-25 times above RI), which are within the order expected to elicit acute effects in many vertebrates. Additional clinical blood biochemistry and haematology results indicate signs of a systemic disease and the prevalence of an active inflammatory response in a high proportion (44%) of turtles from the agricultural site. Elevated Co, Sb, and Mn in the blood of these turtles significantly correlated with elevated markers of acute inflammation (total white cell counts) and liver dysfunction (alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin). The results of this study support the notion that elevated trace element exposures may be adversely affecting the health of nearshore green sea turtles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMPARING THE RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCE TO TOXICITY VALUES FOR ZN, SE, MN, AND MB

EPA Science Inventory

Certain essential nutrients can be toxic when ingested at dosages higher than the daily nutritional requirement. Research data for the essential trace elements, zinc, selenium, manganese and molybdenum have been reviewed by various government agencies for both their nutritional n...

Improving Work Performance Through Appraisal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, William J.

1978-01-01

Effective appraisal depends on three essential elements: employees who are motivated to achieve goals, who have the necessary mental and physical ability, and who clearly understand the demands of the job. What this implies for systems touching on these elements is spelled out in detail. (Author/MLF)

ASSESSING REFERRALS AND IMPROVING INFORMATION AVAILABILITY FOR CONSULTATIONS IN AN ACADEMIC ENDOCRINOLOGY CLINIC.

PubMed

Hendrickson, Chase D; Saini, Saumya; Pothuloori, Avin; Mecchella, John N

2017-02-01

Outpatient specialty consultations rely on the timeliness and completeness of referral information to facilitate a valuable patient-specialist interaction. This project aimed to increase essential diagnostic information availability at the initial consultation for patients referred for common endocrine conditions frequently lacking such data-diabetes mellitus, thyroid nodule, thyrotoxicosis, and hypercalcemia. At an endocrinology clinic at an academic medical center in rural New England, providers see several thousand new patients annually, the majority of whom are referred by providers external to the clinic's healthcare system. Through consensus, endocrinology clinic providers agreed on the two or three data elements essential for a meaningful initial consultation for each. A quality improvement team employed a planned series of interventions based on previously published methods and an innovative approach: dissemination of a referral guideline, an assessment of referral adequacy in the endocrinology clinic workflow, coupled with focused requests for missing items, and a pre-visit lab appointment. Between April 2015 and March 2016, 762 referrals were reviewed. At baseline for the four conditions, referrals contained all essential elements only 27.5% (22 of 80) of the time. Over a 7-month period, the team implemented the interventions, with subsequent referrals containing all essential elements increasing to 75.5% (P<.0001), largely attributable to the pre-visit lab appointment. Incoming referrals that lack essential information are a significant problem in specialty care and may adversely affect patient experience, provider satisfaction, and clinic efficiency. Improvement may require innovative approaches, such as the potentially transferable and generalizable ones employed here. DHMC = Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center EHR = electronic health record PDSA = Plan-Do-Study-Act.

Identification of an activator protein required for the induction of fruA, a gene essential for fruiting body development in Myxococcus xanthus

PubMed Central

Ueki, Toshiyuki; Inouye, Sumiko

2003-01-01

Myxococcus xanthus exhibits social behavior and multicellular development. FruA is an essential transcription factor for fruiting body development in M. xanthus. In the present study, the upstream promoter region was found to be necessary for the induction of fruA expression during development. A cis-acting element required for the induction was identified and was located between nucleotides –154 and –107 with respect to the transcription initiation site. In addition, it was found that two binding sites exist within this element of the fruA promoter. By using DNA affinity column chromatography containing the cis-acting element, a fruA promoter-binding protein was purified. The purified protein was shown by N-terminal sequence analysis to be identical to MrpC, a protein identified previously by transposon insertion mutagenesis as an essential locus for fruiting body development [Sun, H. & Shi, W. (2001) J. Bacteriol. 183, 4786–4795]. Furthermore, fruA mRNA was not detectable in the mrpC::km strain, demonstrating that MrpC is essential for fruA expression. Moreover, mutational analysis of the binding sites for MrpC in the fruA promoter indicates that binding of MrpC activates transcription of fruA in vivo. This report provides evidence for a direct molecular interaction involved in temporally regulated gene expression in M. xanthus. PMID:12851461

Post-transcriptional trafficking and regulation of neuronal gene expression.

PubMed

Goldie, Belinda J; Cairns, Murray J

2012-02-01

Intracellular messenger RNA (mRNA) traffic and translation must be highly regulated, both temporally and spatially, within eukaryotic cells to support the complex functional partitioning. This capacity is essential in neurons because it provides a mechanism for rapid input-restricted activity-dependent protein synthesis in individual dendritic spines. While this feature is thought to be important for synaptic plasticity, the structures and mechanisms that support this capability are largely unknown. Certainly specialized RNA binding proteins and binding elements in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of translationally regulated mRNA are important, but the subtlety and complexity of this system suggests that an intermediate "specificity" component is also involved. Small non-coding microRNA (miRNA) are essential for CNS development and may fulfill this role by acting as the guide strand for mediating complex patterns of post-transcriptional regulation. In this review we examine post-synaptic gene regulation, mRNA trafficking and the emerging role of post-transcriptional gene silencing in synaptic plasticity.

Stem loop recognition by DDX17 facilitates miRNA processing and antiviral defense

PubMed Central

Moy, Ryan H.; Cole, Brian S.; Yasunaga, Ari; Gold, Beth; Shankarling, Ganesh; Varble, Andrew; Molleston, Jerome M.; tenOever, Benjamin R.; Lynch, Kristen W.; Cherry, Sara

2014-01-01

DEAD-box helicases play essential roles in RNA metabolism across species, but emerging data suggest that they have additional functions in immunity. Through RNAi screening we identify an evolutionarily conserved and interferon-independent role for the DEAD-box helicase DDX17 in restricting Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a mosquito-transmitted virus in the bunyavirus family that causes severe morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock. Loss of Drosophila DDX17 (Rm62) in cells and flies enhanced RVFV infection. Similarly, depletion of DDX17 but not the related helicase DDX5 increased RVFV replication in human cells. Using cross-linking immunoprecipitation high-throughput sequencing (CLIP-seq), we show that DDX17 binds the stem loops of host pri-miRNA to facilitate their processing, and also an essential stem loop in bunyaviral RNA to restrict infection. Thus, DDX17 has dual roles in the recognition of stem loops: in the nucleus for endogenous miRNA biogenesis and in the cytoplasm for surveillance against structured non-self elements. PMID:25126784

Fabrics for fire resistant passenger seats in aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tesoro, G. C.

1978-01-01

The essential elements of the problem and of approaches to improved fire resistance in aircraft seats are reviewed. The performance requirements and availability of materials, delay in the ignition of upholstery fabric by a small source are considered a realistic objective. Results of experimental studies on the thermal response of fabrics and fabric/foam combinations suggest significant conclusions regarding: (1) the ignition behavior of a commercial 90/10 wool/nylon upholstery fabric relative to fabrics made from thermally stable polymers; (2) the role of the foam backing; (3) the behavior of seams. These results, coupled with data from other sources, also confirm the importance of materials' interactions in multicomponent assemblies, and the need for system testing prior to materials' selection. The use of an interlinear or thermal barrier between upholstery fabric and foam is a promising and viable approach to improved fire resistance of the seat assembly, but experimental evaluation of specific combinations of materials or systems is an essential part of the selection process.

The zinc-finger transcription factor Hindsight regulates ovulation competency of Drosophila follicles

PubMed Central

Deady, Lylah D; Li, Wei

2017-01-01

Follicle rupture, the final step in ovulation, utilizes conserved molecular mechanisms including matrix metalloproteinases (Mmps), steroid signaling, and adrenergic signaling. It is still unknown how follicles become competent for follicle rupture/ovulation. Here, we identify a zinc-finger transcription factor Hindsight (Hnt) as the first transcription factor regulating follicle’s competency for ovulation in Drosophila. Hnt is not expressed in immature stage-13 follicle cells but is upregulated in mature stage-14 follicle cells, which is essential for follicle rupture/ovulation. Hnt upregulates Mmp2 expression in posterior follicle cells (essential for the breakdown of the follicle wall) and Oamb expression in all follicle cells (the receptor for receiving adrenergic signaling and inducing Mmp2 activation). Hnt’s role in regulating Mmp2 and Oamb can be replaced by its human homolog Ras-responsive element-binding protein 1 (RREB-1). Our data suggest that Hnt/RREB-1 plays conserved role in regulating follicle maturation and competency for ovulation. PMID:29256860

Metal concentrations in the mussel Bathymodiolus platifrons from a cold seep in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaocheng; Li, Chaolun; Zhou, Li

2017-11-01

Data regarding the concentration and distribution of various metals in different tissues of mussels from the cold seep is scant. We aimed to quantify the presence of twenty elements (Ca, K, Mg, Sr, Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in gills, mantles and shells of Bathymodiolus platifrons, a common mussel species in deep-sea cold seep and hydrothermal vent communities. Specimens of B. platifrons were sampled from a cold seep at the northern continental slope of the South China Sea and the elemental contents in its tissues were quantified. Our findings were compared to data from taxonomically similar species at hydrothermal vents and coastal waters. We found that most elements were significantly enriched in the gills, which could be related to food uptake and the existence of endosymbionts. In shells and mantles, Mn was particularly rich, possibly due to its replacement of Ca in the carbonate structure. A significant positive correlation among Ca, Sr, and Mg was found in both gills and mantles, consistent with relationships observed in vent and littoral mussel species. Concentrations of metals were highest in the new-growth outer edges of shells in comparison to older shell material, which suggests that trace metals have become more abundant in the ambient seawater in recent years. Compared with other deep-sea environments and coastal areas, metal accumulation showed local variability but similar overall patterns of uptake and accumulation, indicating that essential elemental requirements in different mussel species may be similar across taxa. The high bioconcentration factor (BCF) values of Mn and Ag suggest that their particular functions and regulation mechanisms are related to specific adaptations and life cycle processes.

Impacts of coal fly ash on plant growth and accumulation of essential nutrients and trace elements by alfalfa (Medicago sativa) grown in a loessial soil.

PubMed

He, Honghua; Dong, Zhigang; Peng, Qi; Wang, Xia; Fan, Chenbin; Zhang, Xingchang

2017-07-15

Coal fly ash (CFA) is a problematic solid waste all over the world. One distinct beneficial reuse of CFA is its utilization in land application as a soil amendment. A pot experiment was carried out to assess the feasibility of using CFA to improve plant growth and increase the supply of plant-essential elements and selenium (Se) of a loessial soil for agricultural purpose. Plants of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) were grown in a loessial soil amended with different rates (5%, 10%, 20% and 40%) of CFA for two years and subjected to four successive cuttings. Dry mass of shoots and roots, concentrations of plant-essential elements and Se in plants were measured. Shoot dry mass and root dry mass were always significantly increased by 5%, 10% and 20% CFA treatments, and by 40% CFA treatment in all harvests except the first one. The CFA had a higher supply of exchangeable phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), and Se than the loessial soil. Shoot P, calcium (Ca), Mg, Mo, boron (B), and Se concentrations were generally markedly increased, but shoot potassium (K), Cu, and Zn concentrations were generally reduced. The CFA can be a promising source of some essential elements and Se for plants grown in the loessial soil, and an application rate of not higher than 5% should be safe for agricultural purpose without causing plant toxicity symptoms in the studied loessial soil and similar soils. Field trials will be carried out to confirm the results of the pot experiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cytosolic distributions of highly toxic metals Cd and Tl and several essential elements in the liver of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) analyzed by size exclusion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Dragun, Zrinka; Krasnići, Nesrete; Kolar, Nicol; Filipović Marijić, Vlatka; Ivanković, Dušica; Erk, Marijana

2018-05-15

Cytosolic distributions of nonessential metals Cd and Tl and seven essential elements among compounds of different molecular masses were studied in the liver of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the karstic Krka River in Croatia. Analyses were done by size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography and high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Common feature of Cd and Tl, as highly toxic elements, was their distribution within only two narrow peaks. The increase of cytosolic Cd concentrations was reflected in marked increase of Cd elution within low molecular mass peak (maximum at ∼15 kDa), presumably containing metallothioneins (MTs), which indicated successful Cd detoxification in brown trout liver under studied exposure conditions. Contrary, the increase of cytosolic Tl concentrations was reflected in marked increase of Tl elution within high molecular mass peak (maximum at 140 kDa), which probably indicated incomplete Tl detoxification. Common feature of the majority of studied essential elements was their distribution within more peaks, often broad and not well resolved, which is consistent with their numerous physiological functions. Among observed associations of essential metals/nonmetal to proteins, the following could be singled out: Cu and Zn association to MTs, Fe association to storage protein ferritin, and Se association to compounds of very low molecular masses (<5 kDa). The obtained results present the first step towards identification of metal-binding compounds in hepatic cytosol of brown trout, and thus a significant contribution to better understanding of metal fate in the liver of that important bioindicator species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and characterization of new members of the SXT/R391 family of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) in Proteus mirabilis.

PubMed

Bie, Luyao; Wu, Hao; Wang, Xin-Hua; Wang, Mingyu; Xu, Hai

2017-08-01

Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) are self-transmissible chromosomal mobile elements that play significant roles in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes. Identification of the structures and functions of ICEs, particularly those in pathogens, improves understanding of the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. This study identified new members of the sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SXT)/R391 family of ICEs that could confer multi-drug resistance in the opportunistic pathogen Proteus mirabilis, characterized their genetic structures, and explored their evolutionary connection with other members of this family of ICEs. Three new members of the SXT/R391 family of ICEs were detected in six of 77 P. mirabilis strains isolated in China: ICEPmiChn2 (one strain), ICEPmiChn3 (one strain) and ICEPmiChn4 (three strains). All three new ICEs harbour antimicrobial resistance genes from diverse origins, suggesting their capability in acquiring foreign genes and serving as important carriers for antimicrobial resistance genes. Structural analysis showed that ICEPmiChn3 is a particularly interesting and unique ICE that has lost core genes involved in conjugation, and could not transfer to other cells via conjugation. This finding confirmed the key roles of these missing genes in conjugation. Further phylogenetic analysis suggested that ICEs in geographically close strains are also connected evolutionarily, and ICEPmiChn3 lost its conjugation cassette from a former mobile ICE. The identification and characterization of the three new members of the SXT/R391 family of ICEs in this work leads to suggestions of core ICE genes essential for conjugation, and extends understanding on the structures of ICEs, evolutionary relationships between ICEs, and the antimicrobial resistance mechanisms of P. mirabilis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Genetic link between EMI and EMII: An adakite connection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, Gen

2009-10-01

Geochemical modeling of the origin of enriched mantle I (EMI) and enriched mantle II (EMII) is conducted from the perspective of adakite production. For the model, the average composition of adakites is re-estimated from published data for eighteen trace elements. Although the concentrations determined for highly incompatible elements are very high (about 100 times of primitive mantle), these high concentrations can be explained by melting of oceanic crust without sediment contribution. The compiled data further suggest that the mantle-slab melt reaction would play a major role in the production of basic adakites. In addition, crystal fractionation in the magma chamber should produce additional chemical variations in adakites, in particular for acidic adakites. To examine the effect of chemical variations on the isotopic composition of recycled adakites, broad correlations between trace elements and SiO 2 concentrations, and the MELTS program are employed. The results suggest that recycling of a basic adakite (SiO 2 = 55%) can account for EMI isotopic signatures with storage times of about 2.0 Gyr. The isotopic compositions of less-basic adakites and their evolved magmas shift towards EMII values with increasing SiO 2 concentrations. In particular, evolved acidic adakite can yield EMII isotopic signatures. These lines of evidence suggest that the recycling of adakites at various stages of evolution can conceivably produce the entire isotopic range between EMI and EMII reservoirs. Consequently, adakite recycling via sediment subduction or subduction erosion can account for the origins of EMI and EMII reservoirs. In this context, residual garnet under high pressure and plagioclase fractionation at low pressure might play an essential role in producing the chemical variations among adakites that ultimately govern the isotopic compositions of these geochemical reservoirs.

Essential English for Micronesian Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrad, Jo Ann; Reinecke, Hank

This student workbook is designed to help Micronesian adults learn everyday English. Its ten chapters move from simple one-word picture labeling to more abstract ideas in a spiraled fashion, reiterating the essential elements of the English language in different, more complicated ways. Subjects covered include names for everyday objects and…

3 CFR 8460 - Proclamation 8460 of December 2, 2009. Critical Infrastructure Protection Month, 2009

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the United States of America A Proclamation Critical infrastructure protection is an essential element... have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, public health or safety. From water... country's essential resources are safe and capable of recovering from disruptive incidents. The Department...

APPLICATION OF SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA TO STELLA, MISSOURI-ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING-PRELIMINARY SITE INFORMATION AND ELEMENTS OF THE MASTER PLAN

EPA Science Inventory

Natural systems provide essential goods and services that make human life possible. Because development of the built environment will cumulatively consume natural capital, it is essential that the conditions that maintain natural systems must become the constraints and performanc...

50 CFR 424.12 - Criteria for designating critical habitat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... sufficiently well known to permit identification of an area as critical habitat. (b) In determining what areas... essential to the conservation of a given species and that may require special management considerations or... elements within the defined area that are essential to the conservation of the species. Known primary...

Essential Components of Peace Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, David W.; Johnson, Roger T.

2005-01-01

Peace education is a key for establishing a consensual peace and maintaining it over time. There are 5 essential elements in building a lasting peace through education. First, a public education system must be established that has compulsory attendance for all children and youth, integrated so students from previously conflicting groups interact…

Body burdens, sources and interrelations of selected toxic and essential elements among the nine Cree First Nations of Eeyou Istchee, James Bay region of northern Quebec, Canada.

PubMed

Nieboer, Evert; Martin, Ian D; Liberda, Eric N; Dewailly, Eric; Robinson, Elizabeth; Tsuji, Leonard J S

2017-05-24

this article constitutes a report on the comprehensive Nituuchischaayihtitaau Aschii multi-community environment-and-health study conducted among the Cree peoples (Eeyouch) of northern Quebec, Canada. to interpret observed concentrations of a suite of chemical elements in a multi-media biological monitoring study in terms of sources and predictors. the concentrations of 5 essential and 6 toxic chemical elements were measured in whole blood, and/or in urine or hair by ICP-MS. Concentrations of essential elements are compared to those considered normal (i.e., required for good health) and, when toxic, deemed acceptable at specified concentrations in public health guidelines. Their dependence on age, sex, the specific community lived-in and diet were explored employing multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) involving new variables generated by principle component analysis (PCA) and correspondence analysis (CA). the 5 most prominent PCA axes explained 67.7% of the variation, compared to 93.0% by 6 main CA factors. Concentrations of the essential elements in whole blood (WB) and iodine(i) and arsenic (As) in urine were comparable to those reported in the recent Canadian Health Measures survey and are assigned to dietary sources. By contrast, WB cadmium (Cd) was elevated even when smoking was considered. Mercury (Hg) concentrations in WB and hair were also higher in adults, although comparable to those observed for other indigenous populations living at northern latitudes. Fish consumption was identified as the prominent source. Of the 5 coastal communities, all but one had lower Hg exposures than the four inland communities, presumably reflecting the type of fish consumed. Use of firearms and smoking were correlated with WB-lead (Pb). The concentrations of both Hg and Pb increased with age and were higher in men, while WB-Cd and smoking prevalence were higher in women when considering all communities. Hg and Pb were low in children and women of reproductive age, with few exceedances of health guidelines. Although individuals with T2D had somewhat lower WB-Cd, there is some indication that Cd may potentiate renal dysfunction in this subgroup. Plots of selected CA axes grouped those elements expected to be in a normal diet and distinguished them from those with well-known unique sources (especially Hg and As in hair; and Hg, Pb and Cd in WB). the use of multiple biological media in conjunction with the complementary PCA and CA approaches for constructing composite variables allowed a more detailed understanding of both the sources of the essential and toxic elements in body fluids and the dependencies of their observed concentrations on age, sex, community and diet.

Essential Elements of an Effective and Sustainable Prison Hospice Program

PubMed Central

Cloyes, Kristin G.; Rosenkranz, Susan J.; Berry, Patricia H.; Supiano, Katherine P.; Routt, Meghan; Shannon-Dorcy, Kathleen; Llanque, Sarah M.

2015-01-01

As the number of prison inmates facing end-stage chronic illness grows, more prisons across the U.S. must address the need for end-of-life care. Many will likely need to develop a plan with potentially limited resources and external support. This case study presents one long-running model of care, the Louisiana State Penitentiary Prison Hospice Program. Based on field observations and in-depth interviews with hospice staff, inmate volunteers and corrections officers, we identify five essential elements that have contributed to the long-term operation of this program: patient-centered care, an inmate volunteer model, safety and security, shared values, and teamwork. We describe key characteristics of each of these elements, discuss how they align with earlier recommendations and research, and show how their integration supports a sustained model of prison end-of-life care. PMID:25735806

Multi-Band Cable Antenna with Irregular Reactive Loading

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-04

antenna 10 consists of an insulated solid conductor 12 of radius a. Preferably, this element is made from copper ; however, any highly conductive metal...Docket No. 300035 5 of 12 improved flotation . A low dielectric constant is essential for optimal RF performance. Reactive elements (not shown, see

Ionomic screening of field-grown soybeans identifies mutants with altered seed elemental composition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean seeds contain high levels of mineral nutrients essential for human and animal nutrition. High throughput elemental profiling (ionomics) has identified mutants in model plant species grown in controlled environments. Here, we describe a method for identifying potential soybean ionomics mutant...

Trace elements in blood samples of smoker and nonsmoker active pulmonary tuberculosis patients from Jamshoro, Pakistan.

PubMed

Memon, Zainab Manzoor; Yilmaz, Erkan; Shah, Afsheen Mushtaque; Sahin, Ugur; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Devrajani, Bikha Ram; Soylak, Mustafa

2017-12-01

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a serious public threat throughout the world. PTB and smoking have a strong correlation. Malnutrition, poverty, addiction, overcrowding, illiteracy, unemployment, and poor hygienic conditions are the collective aspects for the disease progress. Pakistan is the fifth among 22 high tuberculosis (TB) burden countries and the fourth regarding multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). The aim of study was to determine the concentration of essential and toxic elements from blood samples of smoker and nonsmoker PTB patients by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) followed by microwave acid digestion and compared with control subjects (n = 30). Eighty PTB patients were selected from different hospitals with age ranging 20-70 years. It was interpreted that the mean age among males and females was found to be 35.6 ± 1.4 and 33.5 ± 1.2, respectively, and the male patients were highly affected in contrast to females. Essential elements such as Mn, Fe, Zn, and Se were statistically found to be lower while Ca, Co, and Cu were found to be higher compared to the control group (p = 0.00). However, toxic elements like Al, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, and Pb were statistically elevated in smokers than nonsmokers. Further research is needed to understand the degree of the impact of essential trace elements on treatment outcome (follow-up) followed by balanced healthy nutritional supplementation along with medical therapy, consequently improving the pulmonary tuberculosis outcome and survival as well.

Landslide risk models for decision making.

PubMed

Bonachea, Jaime; Remondo, Juan; de Terán, José Ramón Díaz; González-Díez, Alberto; Cendrero, Antonio

2009-11-01

This contribution presents a quantitative procedure for landslide risk analysis and zoning considering hazard, exposure (or value of elements at risk), and vulnerability. The method provides the means to obtain landslide risk models (expressing expected damage due to landslides on material elements and economic activities in monetary terms, according to different scenarios and periods) useful to identify areas where mitigation efforts will be most cost effective. It allows identifying priority areas for the implementation of actions to reduce vulnerability (elements) or hazard (processes). The procedure proposed can also be used as a preventive tool, through its application to strategic environmental impact analysis (SEIA) of land-use plans. The underlying hypothesis is that reliable predictions about hazard and risk can be made using models based on a detailed analysis of past landslide occurrences in connection with conditioning factors and data on past damage. The results show that the approach proposed and the hypothesis formulated are essentially correct, providing estimates of the order of magnitude of expected losses for a given time period. Uncertainties, strengths, and shortcomings of the procedure and results obtained are discussed and potential lines of research to improve the models are indicated. Finally, comments and suggestions are provided to generalize this type of analysis.

Light rare earth element depletion during Deepwater Horizon blowout methanotrophy.

PubMed

Shiller, A M; Chan, E W; Joung, D J; Redmond, M C; Kessler, J D

2017-09-04

Rare earth elements have generally not been thought to have a biological role. However, recent work has demonstrated that the light REEs (LREEs: La, Ce, Pr, and Nd) are essential for at least some methanotrophs, being co-factors in the XoxF type of methanol dehydrogenase (MDH). We show here that dissolved LREEs were significantly removed in a submerged plume of methane-rich water during the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) well blowout. Furthermore, incubation experiments conducted with naturally methane-enriched waters from hydrocarbon seeps in the vicinity of the DWH wellhead also showed LREE removal concurrent with methane consumption. Metagenomic sequencing of incubation samples revealed that LREE-containing MDHs were present. Our field and laboratory observations provide further insight into the biochemical pathways of methanotrophy during the DWH blowout. Additionally, our results are the first observations of direct biological alteration of REE distributions in oceanic systems. In view of the ubiquity of LREE-containing MDHs in oceanic systems, our results suggest that biological uptake of LREEs is an overlooked aspect of the oceanic geochemistry of this group of elements previously thought to be biologically inactive and an unresolved factor in the flux of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the ocean.

Elemental selenium at nano size (Nano-Se) as a potential chemopreventive agent with reduced risk of selenium toxicity: comparison with se-methylselenocysteine in mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Jinsong; Wang, Xufang; Xu, Tongwen

2008-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element with a narrow margin between beneficial and toxic effects. As a promising chemopreventive agent, its use requires consumption over the long term, so the toxicity of Se is always a crucial concern. Based on clinical findings and recent studies in selenoprotein gene-modified mice, it is likely that the antioxidant function of one or more selenoproteins is responsible for the chemopreventive effect of Se. Furthermore, upregulation of phase 2 enzymes by Se has been implicated as a possible chemopreventive mechanism at supranutritional dietary levels. Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSC), a naturally occurring organic Se product, is considered as one of the most effective chemopreventive selenocompounds. The present study revealed that, as compared with SeMSC, elemental Se at nano size (Nano-Se) possessed equal efficacy in increasing the activities of glutathione peroxidase, thioredoxin reductase, and glutathione S-transferase, but had much lower toxicity as indicated by median lethal dose, acute liver injury, survival rate, and short-term toxicity. Our results suggest that Nano-Se can serve as a potential chemopreventive agent with reduced risk of Se toxicity.

Multielemental analysis of tissues from Cangrande della Scala, Prince of Verona, in the 14th century.

PubMed

Apostoli, Pietro; De Palma, Giuseppe; Catalani, Simona; Bortolotti, Federica; Tagliaro, Franco

2009-01-01

Cangrande della Scala, Prince of Verona (Italy), died suddenly shortly after his triumph in the battle of Treviso (July 18, 1329). Thus, in the frame of a multidisciplinary paleo-pathological study, we carried out a multielemental analysis on the Prince's tissue specimens, including hair, liver, muscle, and bone, in order to characterize a multitissue profile of metallic elements in a nobleman of the 14th century. Biological specimens were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. We were able to rule out arsenic poisoning as the primary cause of death. High levels of gold and silver in both hair and liver samples were probably due to prolonged contact of the mummy with precious metals in the funeral garments. High lead concentrations in both liver and bone tissue can be traced back to the ingestion of contaminated food and alcoholic beverages. Most of the essential elements were in the normal range of values for contemporary living people. The low arsenic and chromium levels in the Prince's tissues as compared to modern people would be suggestive of raised concentrations of both the elements in the present era, which are likely due to industrial pollution.

WENO schemes on arbitrary mixed-element unstructured meshes in three space dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoutsanis, P.; Titarev, V. A.; Drikakis, D.

2011-02-01

The paper extends weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) methods to three dimensional mixed-element unstructured meshes, comprising tetrahedral, hexahedral, prismatic and pyramidal elements. Numerical results illustrate the convergence rates and non-oscillatory properties of the schemes for various smooth and discontinuous solutions test cases and the compressible Euler equations on various types of grids. Schemes of up to fifth order of spatial accuracy are considered.

LTR-Retrotransposons in R. exoculata and Other Crustaceans: The Outstanding Success of GalEa-Like Copia Elements

PubMed Central

Esnault, Caroline; Graça, Paula; Higuet, Dominique; Bonnivard, Eric

2013-01-01

Transposable elements are major constituents of eukaryote genomes and have a great impact on genome structure and stability. They can contribute to the genetic diversity and evolution of organisms. Knowledge of their distribution among several genomes is an essential condition to study their dynamics and to better understand their role in species evolution. LTR-retrotransposons have been reported in many diverse eukaryote species, describing a ubiquitous distribution. Given their abundance, diversity and their extended ranges in C-values, environment and life styles, crustaceans are a great taxon to investigate the genomic component of adaptation and its possible relationships with TEs. However, crustaceans have been greatly underrepresented in transposable element studies. Using both degenerate PCR and in silico approaches, we have identified 35 Copia and 46 Gypsy families in 15 and 18 crustacean species, respectively. In particular, we characterized several full-length elements from the shrimp Rimicaris exoculata that is listed as a model organism from hydrothermal vents. Phylogenic analyses show that Copia and Gypsy retrotransposons likely present two opposite dynamics within crustaceans. The Gypsy elements appear relatively frequent and diverse whereas Copia are much more homogeneous, as 29 of them belong to the single GalEa clade, and species- or lineage-dependent. Our results also support the hypothesis of the Copia retrotransposon scarcity in metazoans compared to Gypsy elements. In such a context, the GalEa-like elements present an outstanding wide distribution among eukaryotes, from fishes to red algae, and can be even highly predominant within a large taxon, such as Malacostraca. Their distribution among crustaceans suggests a dynamics that follows a “domino days spreading” branching process in which successive amplifications may interact positively. PMID:23469217

Applications of synchrotron μ-XRF to study the distribution of biologically important elements in different environmental matrices: a review.

PubMed

Majumdar, Sanghamitra; Peralta-Videa, Jose R; Castillo-Michel, Hiram; Hong, Jie; Rico, Cyren M; Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L

2012-11-28

Environmental matrices including soils, sediments, and living organisms are reservoirs of several essential as well as non-essential elements. Accurate qualitative and quantitative information on the distribution and interaction of biologically significant elements is vital to understand the role of these elements in environmental and biological samples. Synchrotron micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-SXRF) allows in situ mapping of biologically important elements at nanometer to sub-micrometer scale with high sensitivity, negligible sample damage and enable tuning of the incident energy as desired. Beamlines in the synchrotron facilities are rapidly increasing their analytical versatility in terms of focusing optics, detector technologies, incident energy, and sample environment. Although extremely competitive, it is now feasible to find stations offering complimentary techniques like micro-X-ray diffraction (μ-XRD) and micro-X-ray absorption spectroscopy (μ-XAS) that will allow a more complete characterization of complex matrices. This review includes the most recent literature on the emerging applications and challenges of μ-SXRF in studying the distribution of biologically important elements and manufactured nanoparticles in soils, sediments, plants, and microbes. The advantages of using μ-SXRF and complimentary techniques in contrast to conventional techniques used for the respective studies are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence of Coal-Fly-Ash Toxic Chemical Geoengineering in the Troposphere: Consequences for Public Health

PubMed Central

Herndon, J. Marvin

2015-01-01

The widespread, intentional and increasingly frequent chemical emplacement in the troposphere has gone unidentified and unremarked in the scientific literature for years. The author presents evidence that toxic coal combustion fly ash is the most likely aerosolized particulate sprayed by tanker-jets for geoengineering, weather-modification and climate-modification purposes and describes some of the multifold consequences on public health. Two methods are employed: (1) Comparison of 8 elements analyzed in rainwater, leached from aerosolized particulates, with corresponding elements leached into water from coal fly ash in published laboratory experiments, and (2) Comparison of 14 elements analyzed in dust collected outdoors on a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter with corresponding elements analyzed in un-leached coal fly ash material. The results show: (1) the assemblage of elements in rainwater and in the corresponding experimental leachate are essentially identical. At a 99% confidence interval, they have identical means (T-test) and identical variances (F-test); and (2) the assemblage of elements in the HEPA dust and in the corresponding average un-leached coal fly ash are likewise essentially identical. The consequences on public health are profound, including exposure to a variety of toxic heavy metals, radioactive elements, and neurologically-implicated chemically mobile aluminum released by body moisture in situ after inhalation or through transdermal induction. PMID:26270671

Matrix elements and duality for type 2 unitary representations of the Lie superalgebra gl(m|n)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Werry, Jason L.; Gould, Mark D.; Isaac, Phillip S.

The characteristic identity formalism discussed in our recent articles is further utilized to derive matrix elements of type 2 unitary irreducible gl(m|n) modules. In particular, we give matrix element formulae for all gl(m|n) generators, including the non-elementary generators, together with their phases on finite dimensional type 2 unitary irreducible representations which include the contravariant tensor representations and an additional class of essentially typical representations. Remarkably, we find that the type 2 unitary matrix element equations coincide with the type 1 unitary matrix element equations for non-vanishing matrix elements up to a phase.

Monitoring organic and inorganic pollutants in juvenile live sea turtles: results from a study of Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata in Cape Verde.

PubMed

Camacho, María; Boada, Luis D; Orós, Jorge; López, Pedro; Zumbado, Manuel; Almeida-González, Maira; Luzardo, Octavio P

2014-05-15

Despite the current environmental concern regarding the risk posed by contamination in marine ecosystems, the concentrations of pollutants in sea turtles have not been thoroughly elucidated. In the current study, we determined the concentrations of 18 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 11 inorganic elements (Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr, As, Al, Hg and Se) for the first time in two sea turtle species (Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata). Only five of the 18 analyzed OCPs were detected in both species. The average total OCP concentration was higher in green turtles than in hawksbills (0.33 ng/ml versus 0.20 ng/ml). Higher concentrations of individual congeners and total PCBs were also detected in green turtles than in hawksbills (∑PCBs=0.73ng/ml versus 0.19 ng/ml), and different PCB contamination profiles were observed in these two species. Concerning PAHs, we also observed a different contamination profile and higher levels of contamination in green turtles (∑PAHs=12.06 ng/ml versus 2.95 ng/ml). Di- and tri-cyclic PAHs were predominant in both populations, suggesting a petrogenic origin, rather than urban sources of PAHs. Additionally, all of the samples exhibited detectable levels of the 11 inorganic elements. In this case, we also observed relevant differences between both species. Thus, Zn was the most abundant inorganic element in hawksbills (an essential inorganic element), whereas Ni, a well-known toxicant, was the most abundant inorganic element in green turtles. The presence of contaminants is greater in green turtles relative to hawksbill turtles, suggesting a greater exposure to hazardous chemical contaminants for green turtles. These results provide baseline data for these species that can serve for future monitoring purposes outlined in the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plants' essential chemical elements

Treesearch

Kevin T. Smith

2007-01-01

Every garden center and hardware store sells fertilizer guaranteed to "feed" plants. In a strict sense, we can't feed plants. Food contains an energy source. Green plants capture solar energy and make their own food through photosynthesis! Photosynthesis and other metabolic processes require chemical elements in appropriate doses for plants to survive...

Genome-wide computational prediction and analysis of core promoter elements across plant monocots and dicots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transcription initiation, essential to gene expression regulation, involves recruitment of basal transcription factors to the core promoter elements (CPEs). The distribution of currently known CPEs across plant genomes is largely unknown. This is the first large scale genome-wide report on the compu...

"The Future Is Old": Immersive Learning with Generation Y Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blashki, Katherine; Nichol, Sophie; Jia, Dawei; Prompramote, Supawan

2007-01-01

This paper explores the application of four elements deemed to be essential to immersive learning; immersion, engagement, risk/creativity and agency. The authors discuss the implementation of these four elements within two very different classroom environments, one secondary and one tertiary, to illustrate the importance of students' active…

High-resolution genome-wide scan of genes, gene-networks and cellular systems impacting the yeast ionome

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To balance the demand for uptake of essential elements with their potential toxicity living cells have complex regulatory mechanisms. Here, we describe a genome-wide screen to identify genes that impact the elemental composition (‘ionome’) of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using inductively coupled...

Successful Educational Leadership at High Performing Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Doris L.

2011-01-01

Successful educational leadership is not a random phenomenon, but an executed success which leaves clues whereby one can discover them. These clues lead to a desired destination--higher student achievement. Essential, non-negotiable elements have been identified. That is, each element has been systemically embedded at schools that have turned from…

Food Production, Management, and Services Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock. Home Economics Curriculum Center.

This food production, management, and services curriculum guide provides information needed by teachers. It begins with a list of the competencies and subcompetencies that are the essential elements and the sub-elements prescribed in the Texas Administrative Codes for Vocational Home Economics. Each chapter consists of teaching strategies. They…

Genetic difference in macro-element mineral concentrations among 52 historically important tomato varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit quality and yield are highly dependent on adequate uptake of nutrients. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are essential elements that influence fruit quality traits such as color, uniformity of ripening, hollow fruit, fruit shape, firmness, and acidity. Sodium is n...

Use of the parameterised finite element method to robustly and efficiently evolve the edge of a moving cell.

PubMed

Neilson, Matthew P; Mackenzie, John A; Webb, Steven D; Insall, Robert H

2010-11-01

In this paper we present a computational tool that enables the simulation of mathematical models of cell migration and chemotaxis on an evolving cell membrane. Recent models require the numerical solution of systems of reaction-diffusion equations on the evolving cell membrane and then the solution state is used to drive the evolution of the cell edge. Previous work involved moving the cell edge using a level set method (LSM). However, the LSM is computationally very expensive, which severely limits the practical usefulness of the algorithm. To address this issue, we have employed the parameterised finite element method (PFEM) as an alternative method for evolving a cell boundary. We show that the PFEM is far more efficient and robust than the LSM. We therefore suggest that the PFEM potentially has an essential role to play in computational modelling efforts towards the understanding of many of the complex issues related to chemotaxis.

[The geometry of the keel determines the behaviour of the tibial tray against torsional forces in total knee replacement].

PubMed

García David, S; Cortijo Martínez, J A; Navarro Bermúdez, I; Maculé, F; Hinarejos, P; Puig-Verdié, L; Monllau, J C; Hernández Hermoso, J A

2014-01-01

The keel design of the tibial tray is essential for the transmission of the majority of the forces to the peripheral bone structures, which have better mechanical proprieties, thus reducing the risk of loosening. The aim of the present study was to compare the behaviour of different tibial tray designs submitted to torsional forces. Four different tibial components were modelled. The 3-D reconstruction was made using the Mimics software. The solid elements were generated by SolidWorks. The finite elements study was done by Unigraphics. A torsional force of 6 Nm. applied to the lateral aspects of each tibial tray was simulated. The GENUTECH® tibial tray, with peripheral trabecular bone support, showed a lower displacement and less transmitted tensions under torsional forces. The results suggest that a tibial tray with more peripheral support behaves mechanically better than the other studied designs. Copyright © 2013 SECOT. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Toward the way forward: the national children's disaster mental health concept of operations.

PubMed

Schreiber, Merritt; Pfefferbaum, Betty; Sayegh, Lisa

2012-06-01

Although increasing evidence suggests that children are at particular risk from disasters and evidence-based practices have been developed to triage and treat them effectively, no strategy or concept of operations linking best practices for disaster response is currently in place. To our knowledge, this report describes the first effort to address this critical gap and outlines a triage-driven children's disaster mental health incident response strategy for seamless preparedness, response, and recovery elements that can be used now. The national children's disaster mental health concept of operations (NCDMH CONOPS) details the essential elements needed for an interoperable, coordinated response for the mental health needs of children by local communities, counties, regions, and states to better meet the needs of children affected by disasters and terrorism incidents. This CONOPS for children proposes the use of an evidence-based, rapid triage system to provide a common data metric to incident response and recovery action and to rationally align limited resources to those at greater need in a population-based approach.

[The economic-industrial health care complex and the social and economic dimension of development].

PubMed

Gadelha, Carlos Augusto Grabois; Costa, Laís Silveira; Maldonado, José

2012-12-01

The strategic role of health care in the national development agenda has been increasingly recognized and institutionalized. In addition to its importance as a structuring element of the Social Welfare State, health care plays a leading role in the generation of innovation - an essential element for competitiveness in knowledge society. However, health care's productive basis is still fragile, and this negatively affects both the universal provision of health care services and Brazil's competitive inclusion in the globalized environment. This situation suggests the need of a more systematic analysis of the complex relationships among productive, technological and social interests in the scope of health care. Consequently, it is necessary to produce further knowledge about the Economic-Industrial Health Care Complex due to its potential for contributing to a socially inclusive development model. This means reversing the hierarchy between economic and social interests in the sanitary field, thus minimizing the vulnerability of the Brazilian health care policy.

Ab initio studies of isolated boron substitutional defects in graphane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mapasha, R. E.; Chetty, N.

2017-10-01

We have systematically studied energetics, structural and electronic properties of different configurations of the B atoms substituting C-H pairs located on a single hexagonal ring in a graphane system using the first-principles density functional theory (DFT). A total number of 12 distinct B dopants configurations were identified and characterized. Based on the formation energy analysis, we found that relative stability of B dopants depends greatly on the defect configurations. Our results suggest that the B substitutions prefer to be distributed randomly but avoiding the formation of homo-elemental B-B bonds in a graphane system, at any concentration. Generally, the values of band gap decrease as the number of B dopants increases, but the low energy configurations have large band gaps compared to those that have homo-elemental bonds. As a result, the band gap of graphane can be fine tuned through the change in the structural arrangement of B atoms. The adequate control of the electronic structure of graphane through doping should be essential for technological device applications.

Progesterone Response Element Variation in the OXTR Promoter Region and Paternal Care in New World Monkeys.

PubMed

Vargas-Pinilla, Pedro; Babb, Paul; Nunes, Leandro; Paré, Pâmela; Rosa, Gabrielle; Felkl, Aline; Longo, Dânae; Salzano, Francisco M; Paixão-Côrtes, Vanessa R; Gonçalves, Gislene Lopes; Bortolini, Maria Cátira

2017-01-01

Paternal care is a complex social behavior common in primate species with socially monogamous mating systems and twin births. Evolutionary causes and consequences of such behavior are not well understood, nor are their neuroendocrine and genetic bases. However, the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) are associated with parental care in mammalian lineages. Here we investigated the interspecific variation in the number of progesterone response elements (PREs) in the OXTR promoter region of 32 primate species, correlating genetic data with behavior, social systems, and ecological/life-history parameters, while controlling for phylogeny. We verified that PREs are only present in New World monkeys and that PRE number is significantly correlated with the presence of paternal care in this branch. We suggest that PRE number could be an essential part of the genetic repertoire that allowed the emergence of taxon-specific complex social behaviors, such as paternal care in marmosets and tamarins.

Uniformity of nucleosome preservation pattern in Mammalian sperm and its connection to repetitive DNA elements.

PubMed

Samans, Birgit; Yang, Yang; Krebs, Stefan; Sarode, Gaurav Vilas; Blum, Helmut; Reichenbach, Myriam; Wolf, Eckhard; Steger, Klaus; Dansranjavin, Temuujin; Schagdarsurengin, Undraga

2014-07-14

Nucleosome-to-protamine exchange during mammalian spermiogenesis is essential for compaction and protection of paternal DNA. It is interesting that, depending on the species, 1% to 15% of nucleosomes are retained, but the generalizability and biological function of this retention are unknown. Here, we show concordantly in human and bovine that nucleosomes remained in sperm chromatin predominantly within distal intergenic regions and introns and associated with centromere repeats and retrotransposons (LINE1 and SINEs). In contrast, nucleosome depletion concerned particularly exons, 5'-UTR, 3'-UTR, TSS, and TTS and was associated with simple and low-complexity repeats. Overlap of human and bovine genes exhibiting nucleosome preservation in the promoter and gene body revealed a significant enrichment of signal transduction and RNA- and protein-processing factors. Our study demonstrates the genome-wide uniformity of the nucleosome preservation pattern in mammalian sperm and its connection to repetitive DNA elements and suggests a function in preimplantation processes for paternally derived nucleosomes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thin film hydrogen sensor

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.; Hoffheins, Barbara S.; Fleming, Pamela H.

1994-01-01

A hydrogen sensor element comprises an essentially inert, electrically-insulating substrate having a thin-film metallization deposited thereon which forms at least two resistors on the substrate. The metallization comprises a layer of Pd or a Pd alloy for sensing hydrogen and an underlying intermediate metal layer for providing enhanced adhesion of the metallization to the substrate. An essentially inert, electrically insulating, hydrogen impermeable passivation layer covers at least one of the resistors, and at least one of the resistors is left uncovered. The difference in electrical resistances of the covered resistor and the uncovered resistor is related to hydrogen concentration in a gas to which the sensor element is exposed.

Thin film hydrogen sensor

DOEpatents

Lauf, R.J.; Hoffheins, B.S.; Fleming, P.H.

1994-11-22

A hydrogen sensor element comprises an essentially inert, electrically-insulating substrate having a thin-film metallization deposited thereon which forms at least two resistors on the substrate. The metallization comprises a layer of Pd or a Pd alloy for sensing hydrogen and an underlying intermediate metal layer for providing enhanced adhesion of the metallization to the substrate. An essentially inert, electrically insulating, hydrogen impermeable passivation layer covers at least one of the resistors, and at least one of the resistors is left uncovered. The difference in electrical resistances of the covered resistor and the uncovered resistor is related to hydrogen concentration in a gas to which the sensor element is exposed. 6 figs.

Integration of P, S, Fe, and Zn nutrition signals in Arabidopsis thaliana: potential involvement of PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE 1 (PHR1)

PubMed Central

Briat, Jean-François; Rouached, Hatem; Tissot, Nicolas; Gaymard, Frédéric; Dubos, Christian

2015-01-01

Phosphate and sulfate are essential macro-elements for plant growth and development, and deficiencies in these mineral elements alter many metabolic functions. Nutritional constraints are not restricted to macro-elements. Essential metals such as zinc and iron have their homeostasis strictly genetically controlled, and deficiency or excess of these micro-elements can generate major physiological disorders, also impacting plant growth and development. Phosphate and sulfate on one hand, and zinc and iron on the other hand, are known to interact. These interactions have been partly described at the molecular and physiological levels, and are reviewed here. Furthermore the two macro-elements phosphate and sulfate not only interact between themselves but also influence zinc and iron nutrition. These intricated nutritional cross-talks are presented. The responses of plants to phosphorus, sulfur, zinc, or iron deficiencies have been widely studied considering each element separately, and some molecular actors of these regulations have been characterized in detail. Although some scarce reports have started to examine the interaction of these mineral elements two by two, a more complex analysis of the interactions and cross-talks between the signaling pathways integrating the homeostasis of these various elements is still lacking. However, a MYB-like transcription factor, PHOSPHATE STARVATION RESPONSE 1, emerges as a common regulator of phosphate, sulfate, zinc, and iron homeostasis, and its role as a potential general integrator for the control of mineral nutrition is discussed. PMID:25972885

Determination of trace element level in different tissues of the leaping mullet (Liza saliens, Mugilidae) collected from Caspian Sea.

PubMed

Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad Ali; Eslami, Shahram; Nabavi, Seyed Fazel; Nabavi, Seyed Mohammad

2011-12-01

The concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Zn were determined in the brain, heart, liver, gill, gonad, spleen, kidney, and red and white muscles of Liza saliens (leaping mullet). Trace element levels in fish samples were analyzed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Among the non-essential metals, the levels of Ni and Pb in the tissues were higher than limits for fish proposed by FAO/WHO, EU, and TFC. Generally, the levels of the non-essential metals were much higher than those of manganese in the red and white muscles. Fe distribution pattern in tissues was in order of spleen > liver > heart > gill > brain > kidney > gonad > red muscle > white muscle. Red muscle was not within the safe limits for human consumption because non-essential metal (Ni, Pb) contents were higher than standard limits.

Some considerations concerning the alchemy of the De anima in arte alchemiae of pseudo-Avicenna.

PubMed

Moureau, Sébastien

2009-03-01

This article explains some essential features of the alchemical doctrine of the De anima in arte alchemiae, a treatise written in Spain during the twelfth century (in Arabic, but only the Latin translation remains), and wrongly attributed to Avicenna. It shows that pseudo-Avicenna uses alchemical principles and elixir theory directly inspired by Jabirian texts, and classification of materials influenced by al-Razi. The alchemy of pseudo-Avicenna is entirely based on operations on the four elements: the alchemist has to reduce hair, blood or eggs to their elements, and isolate one of their essential properties (warmth, coldness, moisture and dryness), so that he can change the proportion of essential properties of the body he wants to transmute into gold or silver. The preparation made from hair, blood or eggs (the isolated property) is what he calls the elixir.

Biochar can be used to capture essential nutrients from dairy wastewater and improve soil physico-chemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghezzehei, T. A.; Sarkhot, D. V.; Berhe, A. A.

2014-09-01

Recently, the potential for biochar use to recapture excess nutrients from dairy wastewater has been a focus of a growing number of studies. It is suggested that biochar produced from locally available excess biomass can be important in reducing release of excess nutrient elements from agricultural runoff, improving soil productivity, and long-term carbon (C) sequestration. Here we present a review of a new approach that is showing promise for the use of biochar for nutrient capture. Using batch sorption experiments, it has been shown that biochar can adsorb up to 20-43% of ammonium and 19-65% of the phosphate in flushed dairy manure in 24 h. These results suggest a potential of biochar for recovering essential nutrients from dairy wastewater and improving soil fertility if the enriched biochar is returned to soil. Based on the sorption capacity of 2.86 and 0.23 mg ammonium and phosphate, respectively, per gram of biochar and 10-50% utilization of available excess biomass, in the state of California (US) alone, 11 440 to 57 200 tonnes of ammonium-N and 920-4600 tonnes of phosphate can be captured from dairy waste each year while at the same time disposing up to 8-40 million tons of excess biomass.

Biochar can be used to recapture essential nutrients from dairy wastewater and improve soil quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghezzehei, T. A.; Sarkhot, D. V.; Berhe, A. A.

2014-04-01

Recently, the potential for biochar use to recapture excess nutrients from dairy wastewater has been a focus of a growing number of studies. It is suggested that biochar produced from locally available waste biomass can be important in reducing release of excess nutrient elements from agricultural runoff, improving soil productivity, and long-term carbon (C) sequestration. Here we present a review of a new approach that is showing promise for the use of biochar for nutrient capture. Using batch sorption experiments, it has been shown that biochar can adsorb up to 20 to 43% of ammonium and 19-65% of the phosphate in flushed dairy manure in 24 h. These results suggest a potential of biochar for recovering essential nutrients from dairy wastewater and improving soil fertility if the enriched biochar is returned to soil. Based on the sorption capacity of 2.86 and 0.23 mg ammonium and phosphate, respectively, per gram of biochar and 10-50% utilization of available excess biomass, in the state of California (US) alone, 11 440 to 57 200 t of ammonium-N and 920-4600 t of phosphate can be captured from dairy waste each year while at the same time disposing up to 8-40 million tons of waste biomass.

Msn2p/Msn4p act as a key transcriptional activator of yeast cytoplasmic thiol peroxidase II.

PubMed

Hong, Seung-Keun; Cha, Mee-Kyung; Choi, Yong-Soo; Kim, Won-Cheol; Kim, Il-Han

2002-04-05

We observed that the transcription of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytoplasmic thiol peroxidase type II (cTPx II) (YDR453C) is regulated in response to various stresses (e.g. oxidative stress, carbon starvation, and heat-shock). It has been suggested that both transcription-activating proteins, Yap1p and Skn7p, regulate the transcription of cTPx II upon exposure to oxidative stress. However, a dramatic loss of transcriptional response to various stresses in yeast mutant strains lacking both Msn2p and Msn4p suggests that the transcription factors act as a principal transcriptional activator. In addition to two Yap1p response elements (YREs), TTACTAA and TTAGTAA, the presence of two stress response elements (STREs) (CCCCT) in the upstream sequence of cTPx II also suggests that Msn2p/Msn4p could control stress-induced expression of cTPx II. Analysis of the transcriptional activity of site-directed mutagenesis of the putative STREs (STRE1 and STRE2) and YREs (TRE1 and YRE2) in terms of the activity of a lacZ reporter gene under control of the cTPx II promoter indicates that STRE2 acts as a principal binding element essential for transactivation of the cTPx II promoter. The transcriptional activity of the cTPx II promoter was exponentially increased after postdiauxic growth. The transcriptional activity of the cTPx II promoter is greatly increased by rapamycin. Deletion of Tor1, Tor2, Ras1, and Ras2 resulted in a considerable induction when compared with their parent strains, suggesting that the transcription of cTPx II is under negative control of the Ras/cAMP and target of rapamycin signaling pathways. Taken together, these results suggest that cTPx II is a target of Msn2p/Msn4p transcription factors under negative control of the Ras-protein kinase A and target of rapamycin signaling pathways. Furthermore, the accumulation of cTPx II upon exposure to oxidative stress and during the postdiauxic shift suggests an important antioxidant role in stationary phase yeast cells.

Humanism, Feminism, and Multiculturalism: Essential Elements of Social Justice in Counseling, Education, and Advocacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady-Amoon, Peggy

2011-01-01

This article explores the association between and among humanism, feminism, multiculturalism, and social justice in counseling, education, and advocacy. In so doing, it shows how these theoretical forces, individually and collectively, are essential to professional counseling, client welfare, education, and the promotion of social justice. The…

Time, tact, talent, and trust: essential ingredients of effective academic-community partnerships.

PubMed

Plowfield, Lisa Ann; Wheeler, Erlinda C; Raymond, Jean E

2005-01-01

Building strong partnerships between academic institutions and community health agencies requires a commitment to time, tactful communications, talented leaders, and trust. The essential elements of partnership building are discussed based on experiences of a mid-Atlantic nursing center, an academic health center established to provide care to underserved and vulnerable populations.

Essential Elements in Implementation. College Readiness Indicator Systems (CRIS) Resource Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, 2014

2014-01-01

Educators nationwide confront a troubling phenomenon: Increasingly, students leave high school unready for college, as evidenced by high rates of placement into remedial courses and low rates of college completion. Many students also lack either the attitudes or skills essential to succeed in a postsecondary setting, or knowledge of how to apply…

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Can Benefit Heavy Metal Tolerance and Phytoremediation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forgy, David

2012-01-01

Sites contaminated by heavy metals, such as industrial waste sites, create unwelcoming environments for plant growth. Heavy metals can have a wide range of toxic effects such as replacing essential elements or disrupting enzyme function. While some heavy metals are essential to plant nutrition at low concentrations, high concentrations of any…

Opposing impacts on healthspan and longevity by limiting dietary selenium in Telomere Dysfunctional mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element essential for optimal health. We investigated the role of Se in longevity and healthspan in a mouse model of healthy aging in humans with short telomeres. Telomere shortening is associated with aging, mortality and aging-related diseases. We found that whi...

Leading with Focus: Elevating the Essentials for School and District Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmoker, Mike

2016-01-01

In his 2011 ASCD best-seller "Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning," author Mike Schmoker described a fresh approach to K-12 teaching built on three core elements: a focused and coherent curriculum; clear, structured lessons; and purposeful reading and writing, or authentic literacy. Now, in "Leading…

Thick film hydrogen sensor

DOEpatents

Hoffheins, Barbara S.; Lauf, Robert J.

1995-01-01

A thick film hydrogen sensor element includes an essentially inert, electrically-insulating substrate having deposited thereon a thick film metallization forming at least two resistors. The metallization is a sintered composition of Pd and a sinterable binder such as glass frit. An essentially inert, electrically insulating, hydrogen impermeable passivation layer covers at least one of the resistors.

Thick film hydrogen sensor

DOEpatents

Hoffheins, B.S.; Lauf, R.J.

1995-09-19

A thick film hydrogen sensor element includes an essentially inert, electrically-insulating substrate having deposited thereon a thick film metallization forming at least two resistors. The metallization is a sintered composition of Pd and a sinterable binder such as glass frit. An essentially inert, electrically insulating, hydrogen impermeable passivation layer covers at least one of the resistors. 8 figs.

454 Transcriptome sequencing suggests a role for two-component signalling in cellularization and differentiation of barley endosperm transfer cells.

PubMed

Thiel, Johannes; Hollmann, Julien; Rutten, Twan; Weber, Hans; Scholz, Uwe; Weschke, Winfriede

2012-01-01

Cell specification and differentiation in the endosperm of cereals starts at the maternal-filial boundary and generates the endosperm transfer cells (ETCs). Besides the importance in assimilate transfer, ETCs are proposed to play an essential role in the regulation of endosperm differentiation by affecting development of proximate endosperm tissues. We attempted to identify signalling elements involved in early endosperm differentiation by using a combination of laser-assisted microdissection and 454 transcriptome sequencing. 454 sequencing of the differentiating ETC region from the syncytial state until functionality in transfer processes captured a high proportion of novel transcripts which are not available in existing barley EST databases. Intriguingly, the ETC-transcriptome showed a high abundance of elements of the two-component signalling (TCS) system suggesting an outstanding role in ETC differentiation. All components and subfamilies of the TCS, including distinct kinds of membrane-bound receptors, have been identified to be expressed in ETCs. The TCS system represents an ancient signal transduction system firstly discovered in bacteria and has previously been shown to be co-opted by eukaryotes, like fungi and plants, whereas in animals and humans this signalling route does not exist. Transcript profiling of TCS elements by qRT-PCR suggested pivotal roles for specific phosphorelays activated in a coordinated time flow during ETC cellularization and differentiation. ETC-specificity of transcriptionally activated TCS phosphorelays was assessed for early differentiation and cellularization contrasting to an extension of expression to other grain tissues at the beginning of ETC maturation. Features of candidate genes of distinct phosphorelays and transcriptional activation of genes putatively implicated in hormone signalling pathways hint at a crosstalk of hormonal influences, putatively ABA and ethylene, and TCS signalling. Our findings suggest an integral function for the TCS in ETC differentiation possibly coupled to sequent hormonal regulation by ABA and ethylene.

454 Transcriptome Sequencing Suggests a Role for Two-Component Signalling in Cellularization and Differentiation of Barley Endosperm Transfer Cells

PubMed Central

Thiel, Johannes; Hollmann, Julien; Rutten, Twan; Weber, Hans; Scholz, Uwe; Weschke, Winfriede

2012-01-01

Background Cell specification and differentiation in the endosperm of cereals starts at the maternal-filial boundary and generates the endosperm transfer cells (ETCs). Besides the importance in assimilate transfer, ETCs are proposed to play an essential role in the regulation of endosperm differentiation by affecting development of proximate endosperm tissues. We attempted to identify signalling elements involved in early endosperm differentiation by using a combination of laser-assisted microdissection and 454 transcriptome sequencing. Principal Findings 454 sequencing of the differentiating ETC region from the syncytial state until functionality in transfer processes captured a high proportion of novel transcripts which are not available in existing barley EST databases. Intriguingly, the ETC-transcriptome showed a high abundance of elements of the two-component signalling (TCS) system suggesting an outstanding role in ETC differentiation. All components and subfamilies of the TCS, including distinct kinds of membrane-bound receptors, have been identified to be expressed in ETCs. The TCS system represents an ancient signal transduction system firstly discovered in bacteria and has previously been shown to be co-opted by eukaryotes, like fungi and plants, whereas in animals and humans this signalling route does not exist. Transcript profiling of TCS elements by qRT-PCR suggested pivotal roles for specific phosphorelays activated in a coordinated time flow during ETC cellularization and differentiation. ETC-specificity of transcriptionally activated TCS phosphorelays was assessed for early differentiation and cellularization contrasting to an extension of expression to other grain tissues at the beginning of ETC maturation. Features of candidate genes of distinct phosphorelays and transcriptional activation of genes putatively implicated in hormone signalling pathways hint at a crosstalk of hormonal influences, putatively ABA and ethylene, and TCS signalling. Significance Our findings suggest an integral function for the TCS in ETC differentiation possibly coupled to sequent hormonal regulation by ABA and ethylene. PMID:22848641

Assessment of serum trace elements and electrolytes in children with childhood and atypical autism.

PubMed

Skalny, Anatoly V; Simashkova, Natalia V; Klyushnik, Tatiana P; Grabeklis, Andrei R; Radysh, Ivan V; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Nikonorov, Alexandr A; Tinkov, Alexey A

2017-09-01

The existing data demonstrate a significant interrelation between ASD and essential and toxic trace elements status of the organism. However, data on trace element homeostasis in particular ASD forms are insufficient. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the level of trace elements and electrolytes in serum of children with childhood and atypical autism. A total of 48 children with ASD (24 with childhood and 24 with atypical autism) and age- and sex-adjusted controls were examined. Serum trace elements and electrolytes were assessed using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The obtained data demonstrate that children with ASD unspecified are characterized by significantly lower Ni, Cr, and Se levels as compared to the age- and sex-matched controls. At the same time, significantly decreased serum Ni and Se concentrations were detected in patients with childhood autism. In turn, children with atypical autism were characterized by more variable serum trace element spectrum. In particular, atypical autism is associated with lower serum Al, As, Ni, Cr, Mn, and Se levels in comparison to the control values. Moreover, Al and Mn concentration in this group was also lower than that in childhood autism patients. Generally, the obtained data demonstrate lower levels of both essential and toxic trace elements in atypical autism group, being indicative of profound alteration of trace elements metabolism. However, further detailed metabolic studies are required to reveal critical differences in metabolic pathways being responsible for difference in trace element status and clinical course of the disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Elemental contaminants in livers of mute swans on lakes Erie and St. Clair.

PubMed

Schummer, Michael L; Petrie, Scott A; Badzinski, Shannon S; Deming, Misty; Chen, Yu-Wei; Belzile, Nelson

2011-11-01

Contaminant inputs to the lower Great Lakes (LGL) have decreased since the 1960s and 1970s, but elemental contaminants continue to enter the LGL watershed at levels that are potentially deleterious to migratory waterfowl. Mute swans (Cygnus olor) using the LGL primarily eat plants, are essentially nonmigratory, forage exclusively in aquatic systems, and have increased substantially in number in the last few decades. Therefore, mute swans are an ideal sentinel species for monitoring elemental contaminants available to herbivorous and omnivorous waterfowl that use the LGL. We investigated hepatic concentrations, seasonal dynamics, and correlations of elements in mute swans (n = 50) collected at Long Point, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair from 2001 to 2004. Elements detected in liver at levels potentially harmful to waterfowl were copper (Cu) [range 60.3 to 6063.0 μg g(-1) dry weight (dw)] and selenium (SE; range 1.6 to 37.3 μg g(-1) dw). Decreases in aluminum, Se, and mercury (Hg) concentrations were detected from spring (nesting) through winter (nonbreeding). Elemental contaminants may be more available to waterfowl during spring than fall and winter, but study of seasonal availability of elements within LGL aquatic systems is necessary. From April to June, 68% of mute swans had Se levels >10 μg g(-1), whereas only 18% of swans contained these elevated levels of Se from July to March. An increase in the number of mute swans at the LGL despite elevated levels of Cu and Se suggests that these burdens do not substantially limit their reproduction or survival. Se was correlated with Cu (r = 0.85, p < 0.01) and Hg (r = 0.65, p < 0.01), which might indicate interaction between these elements. Some element interactions decrease the toxicity of both elements involved in the interaction. We recommend continued research of elemental contaminant concentrations, including detailed analyses of biological pathways and element forms (e.g., methylmercury) in LGL waterfowl to help determine the role of element interactions on their toxicity in waterfowl.

Bioaccessibility and risk assessment of essential and non-essential elements in vegetables commonly consumed in Swaziland.

PubMed

Mnisi, Robert Londi; Ndibewu, Peter P; Mafu, Lihle D; Bwembya, Gabriel C

2017-10-01

The green leafy vegetables (Mormodica involucrate, Bidens pilosa and Amaranthus spinosus) are economic; seasonal; locally grown and easily available; easy to propagate and store; highly nutritious food substances that form an important component of diets. This study applies a physiology based extraction technique (PBET) to mimic digestion of these vegetables to determine the fraction of essential (Fe and Zn) and non-essential elements (Cd, Cr and Pb) that are made available for absorption after ingestion. Prior to the application of the PBET, the vegetables were cooked adopting indigenous Swazi cooking methods. Cooking mobilized most of the metals out of the vegetable mass, and the final substrate concentrations are: raw > cooked > supernatant for all the metals, and the order of average metal leaching was: Pb (82.2%) >Cr (70.6%) >Zn (67.5%) >Fe (60.2%) >Cd (53.6%). This meant that the bioavailable concentrations are significantly lower than in the original vegetable mass, if only the solid mass is consumed. Bioaccessibility was higher in the gastric tract than in the intestinal phases of the PBET for all the metals in all the vegetables. Risk assessment protocols employed on the non-essential elements (Cr, Cd and Pb) showed that the associated risks of ingesting metal contaminated vegetables are higher for children, than they are for adults, based on the target hazard quotient (THQ) index. However, the overall health risk associated with ingestion of these metals is low, for both children and adults, based on the HR index. Conclusively, this study expounds on the nutritional and risk benefits associated with ingesting naturally grown vegetables. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary Intake of Minerals, Vitamins, and Trace Elements Among Geriatric Population in India.

PubMed

Gupta, Aakriti; Khenduja, Preetika; Pandey, Ravindra Mohan; Sati, Hem Chandra; Sofi, Nighat Yaseen; Kapil, Umesh

2017-11-01

The geriatric population is at a high risk of developing deficiencies of essential micronutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and trace elements and their related deficiency signs and symptoms. Scarce data is available on the dietary intake of essential micronutrients among geriatric subjects in India. Hence, to fill the gap in the existing knowledge, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during 2015-2016 in District Nainital, Uttarakhand State, India. A total of 255 geriatric subjects were enrolled from 30 clusters (villages) identified by using population proportionate to size sampling methodology. Data were collected on sociodemographic profile and dietary intake of essential micronutrients (24-h dietary recall, food frequency questionnaire) from all the geriatric subjects. A high percentage of geriatric subjects did not consume the recommended daily intake for essential micronutrients such as energy (78%), protein (78%), calcium (51%), thiamine (33%), riboflavin (64%), niacin (88%), vitamin C (42%), iron (72%), folic acid (72%), magnesium (48%), zinc (98%), copper (81%) and chromium (89%) adequately. Food groups rich in essential micronutrients such as pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots and tubers, other vegetables, fruits, nonvegetarian food items, and milk and milk products were consumed irregularly by the subjects. The overall intake of energy and essential micronutrients was inadequate among the geriatric population in India, possibly due to poor quality and quantity of the diet consumed.

Essential and toxic elements in meat of wild birds.

PubMed

Roselli, Carla; Desideri, Donatella; Meli, Maria Assunta; Fagiolino, Ivan; Feduzi, Laura

2016-01-01

Essential and toxic elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), mass spectrometry (MS), and atomic absorption (AS) in meat of 14 migratory birds originating from central and northern Europe to provide baseline data regarding game meat consumed in central Italy. In all samples analyzed, cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) (total) levels were <0.326 mg/kg ww . For nonessential or toxic elements, arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), stannous (Sn), thallium (Tl), tellurium (Te), titanium (Ti), cerium (Ce), lantanium (La), and uranium (U) concentrations were <0.326 mg/kg ww, thorium (Th) <1.63 mg/kg ww , and mercury (Hg) <0.0163 mg/kg ww . When detectable, lead (Pb) concentrations always exceeded maximal admissible levels for metal (0.1 mg/kg ww ) established by the European Commission for meat. These findings indicate that elevated Pb concentrations in game ingested by humans may be a cause for concern.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation use efficiency in stands of regenerating tropical dry forest.

PubMed

Waring, Bonnie G; Becknell, Justin M; Powers, Jennifer S

2015-07-01

Plants on infertile soils exhibit physiological and morphological traits that support conservative internal nutrient cycling. However, potential trade-offs among use efficiencies for N, P, and cations are not well explored in species-rich habitats where multiple elements may limit plant production. We examined uptake efficiency and use efficiency of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, and Na in plots of regenerating tropical dry forests spanning a gradient of soil fertility. Our aim was to determine whether plant responses to multiple elements are correlated, or whether there are trade-offs among exploitation strategies across stands varying in community composition, soil quality, and successional stage. For all elements, both uptake efficiency and use efficiency decreased as availability of the corresponding element increased. Plant responses to N, Na, and Al were uncoupled from uptake and use efficiencies for P and essential base cations, which were tightly correlated. N and P use efficiencies were associated with shifts in plant species composition along the soil fertility gradient, and there was also a trend towards increasing N use efficiency with stand age. N uptake efficiency was positively correlated with the abundance of tree species that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Taken together, our results suggest that successional processes and local species composition interact to regulate plant responses to availability of multiple resources. Successional tropical dry forests appear to employ different strategies to maximize response to N vs. P and K.

Biomechanical behavior of muscle-tendon complex during dynamic human movements.

PubMed

Fukashiro, Senshi; Hay, Dean C; Nagano, Akinori

2006-05-01

This paper reviews the research findings regarding the force and length changes of the muscle-tendon complex during dynamic human movements, especially those using ultrasonography and computer simulation. The use of ultrasonography demonstrated that the tendinous structures of the muscle-tendon complex are compliant enough to influence the biomechanical behavior (length change, shortening velocity, and so on) of fascicles substantially. It was discussed that the fascicles are a force generator rather than a work generator; the tendinous structures function not only as an energy re-distributor but also as a power amplifier, and the interaction between fascicles and tendinous structures is essential for generating higher joint power outputs during the late pushoff phase in human vertical jumping. This phenomenon could be explained based on the force-length/velocity relationships of each element (contractile and series elastic elements) in the muscle-tendon complex during movements. Through computer simulation using a Hill-type muscle-tendon complex model, the benefit of making a countermovement was examined in relation to the compliance of the muscle-tendon complex and the length ratio between the contractile and series elastic elements. Also, the integral roles of the series elastic element were simulated in a cyclic human heel-raise exercise. It was suggested that the storage and reutilization of elastic energy by the tendinous structures play an important role in enhancing work output and movement efficiency in many sorts of human movements.

Gamma radiation field intensity meter

DOEpatents

Thacker, Louis H.

1994-01-01

A gamma radiation intensity meter measures dose rate of a radiation field. The gamma radiation intensity meter includes a tritium battery emitting beta rays generating a current which is essentially constant. Dose rate is correlated to an amount of movement of an electroscope element charged by the tritium battery. Ionizing radiation decreases the voltage at the element and causes movement. A bleed resistor is coupled between the electroscope support element or electrode and the ionization chamber wall electrode.

Gamma radiation field intensity meter

DOEpatents

Thacker, Louis H.

1995-01-01

A gamma radiation intensity meter measures dose rate of a radiation field. The gamma radiation intensity meter includes a tritium battery emitting beta rays generating a current which is essentially constant. Dose rate is correlated to an amount of movement of an electroscope element charged by the tritium battery. Ionizing radiation decreases the voltage at the element and causes movement. A bleed resistor is coupled between the electroscope support element or electrode and the ionization chamber wall electrode.

Recent Progress in the p and h-p Version of the Finite Element Method.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

code PROBE which was developed recently by NOETIC Technologies, St. Louis £54]. PROBE solves two dimensional problems of linear elasticity, stationary...of the finite element method was studied in detail from various point of view. We will mention here some essential illustrative results. In one...28) Bathe, K. J., Brezzi, F., Studies of finite element procedures - the INF-SUP condition, equivalent forms and applications in Reliability of

Development and application of a technique for reducing airframe finite element models for dynamics analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hashemi-Kia, Mostafa; Toossi, Mostafa

1990-01-01

A computational procedure for the reduction of large finite element models was developed. This procedure is used to obtain a significantly reduced model while retaining the essential global dynamic characteristics of the full-size model. This reduction procedure is applied to the airframe finite element model of AH-64A Attack Helicopter. The resulting reduced model is then validated by application to a vibration reduction study.

KNOW ESSENTIALS: a tool for informed decisions in the absence of formal HTA systems.

PubMed

Mathew, Joseph L

2011-04-01

Most developing countries and resource-limited settings lack robust health technology assessment (HTA) systems. Because the development of locally relevant HTA is not immediately viable, and the extrapolation of external HTA is inappropriate, a new model for evaluating health technologies is required. The aim of this study was to describe the development and application of KNOW ESSENTIALS, a tool facilitating evidence-based decisions on health technologies by stakeholders in settings lacking formal HTA systems. Current HTA methodology was examined through literature search. Additional issues relevant to resource-limited settings, but not adequately addressed in current methodology, were identified through further literature search, appraisal of contextually relevant issues, discussion with healthcare professionals familiar with the local context, and personal experience. A set of thirteen elements important for evidence-based decisions was identified, selected and combined into a tool with the mnemonic KNOW ESSENTIALS. Detailed definitions for each element, coding for the elements, and a system to evaluate a given health technology using the tool were developed. Developing countries and resource-limited settings face several challenges to informed decision making. Models that are relevant and applicable in high-income countries are unlikely in such settings. KNOW ESSENTIALS is an alternative that facilitates evidence-based decision making by stakeholders without formal expertise in HTA. The tool could be particularly useful, as an interim measure, in healthcare systems that are developing HTA capacity. It could also be useful anywhere when rapid evidence-based decisions on health technologies are required.

Phosphorylated STAT5 directly facilitates parvovirus B19 DNA replication in human erythroid progenitors through interaction with the MCM complex.

PubMed

Ganaie, Safder S; Zou, Wei; Xu, Peng; Deng, Xuefeng; Kleiboeker, Steve; Qiu, Jianming

2017-05-01

Productive infection of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) exhibits high tropism for burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) and colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-E) progenitor cells in human bone marrow and fetal liver. This exclusive restriction of the virus replication to human erythroid progenitor cells is partly due to the intracellular factors that are essential for viral DNA replication, including erythropoietin signaling. Efficient B19V replication also requires hypoxic conditions, which upregulate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway, and phosphorylated STAT5 is essential for virus replication. In this study, our results revealed direct involvement of STAT5 in B19V DNA replication. Consensus STAT5-binding elements were identified adjacent to the NS1-binding element within the minimal origins of viral DNA replication in the B19V genome. Phosphorylated STAT5 specifically interacted with viral DNA replication origins both in vivo and in vitro, and was actively recruited within the viral DNA replication centers. Notably, STAT5 interacted with minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, suggesting that STAT5 directly facilitates viral DNA replication by recruiting the helicase complex of the cellular DNA replication machinery to viral DNA replication centers. The FDA-approved drug pimozide dephosphorylates STAT5, and it inhibited B19V replication in ex vivo expanded human erythroid progenitors. Our results demonstrated that pimozide could be a promising antiviral drug for treatment of B19V-related diseases.

[Problems of study designs with randomization, blinding and placebos].

PubMed

Heusser, P

1999-04-01

As randomised double-blind trials are not rarely demanded as a prerequisite for the scientific acceptance of complementary medicine, the author has analysed the soundness of this demand on the basis of the international literature. As a result there appeared a number of methodological, practical and ethical problems which question the theoretically deduced primal value of this study design relative to the needs of medical practice and of health insurance issues. The experimental instruments of randomisation, blinding and placebo deliberately exclude essential therapeutic factors which are integral elements of complementary medical concepts; therefore, it is suggested to supplement quantitatively and collectively oriented experimental research by non-experimental procedures, which adequately reflect the context- and practice-related individual reality.

What determines the spectrum of protein native state structures?

PubMed

Lezon, Timothy R; Banavar, Jayanth R; Lesk, Arthur M; Maritan, Amos

2006-05-01

We present a brief summary of the key factors underlying protein structure, as developed in the investigations of Pauling, Ramachandran, and Rose. We then outline a simplified physical model of proteins that focuses on geometry and symmetry. Although this model superficially appears unrelated to the detailed chemical descriptions commonly applied to proteins, we show that it captures the essential elements of the chemistry and provides a unified framework for understanding the common characteristics of folded proteins. We suggest that the spectrum of protein native state structures is determined by geometry and symmetry and the role of the sequence is to choose its native state structure from this predetermined menu. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Map Metadata: Essential Elements for Search and Storage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beamer, Ashley

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of the issues surrounding the cataloguing of maps in archives and libraries. An investigation into appropriate metadata formats, such as MARC21, EAD and Dublin Core with RDF, shows how particular map data can be stored. Mathematical map elements, specifically co-ordinates, are…

Characterizing and Representing Student's Conceptual Knowledge of Chemical Bonding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yayon, Malka; Mamlok-Naaman, Rachel; Fortus, David

2012-01-01

Chemical bonding knowledge is fundamental and essential to the understanding of almost every topic in chemistry, but it is very difficult to learn. While many studies have characterized some of the central elements of knowledge of this topic, these elements of knowledge have not been systematically organized. We describe the development and…

Adult High School Diploma Program Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem.

This booklet provides information and direction to community college personnel who wish to offer adult high school diploma programs. The various elements needed for the operation and maintenance of an adult high school diploma program in Oregon are presented here, in two parts. Part I lists elements that are essential in any plan submitted to the…

Managing the Organizational Culture of Rural Schools: Creating Environments for Human Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinhoff, Carl R.; Owens, Robert G.

The factors of people, technology, structure, and task provide a sociotechnical model for understanding the essential elements of schools as organizations. Schools can be understood as cultures and managed as such. Effective schools focus on a task-oriented organizational culture that meaningfully involves all participants in the key elements of…

Is Boron a Prebiotic Element? A Mini-review of the Essentiality of Boron for the Appearance of Life on Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scorei, Romulus

2012-02-01

Boron is probably a prebiotic element with special importance in the so-called "sugars world". Boron is not present on Earth in its elemental form. It is found only in compounds, e.g., borax, boric acid, kernite, ulexite, colemanite and other borates. Volcanic spring waters sometimes contain boron-based acids (e.g., boric, metaboric, tetraboric and pyroboric acid). Borates influence the formation of ribofuranose from formaldehyde that feeds the "prebiotic metabolic cycle". The importance of boron in the living world is strongly related to its implications in the prebiotic origins of genetic material; consequently, we believe that throughout the evolution of life, the primary role of boron has been to provide thermal and chemical stability in hostile environments. The complexation of boric acid and borates with organic cis-diols remains the most probable chemical mechanism for the role of this element in the evolution of the living world. Because borates can stabilize ribose and form borate ester nucleotides, boron may have provided an essential contribution to the "pre-RNA world".

Molecular and ionic mimicry and the transport of toxic metals

PubMed Central

Bridges, Christy C.; Zalups, Rudolfs K.

2008-01-01

Despite many scientific advances, human exposure to, and intoxication by, toxic metal species continues to occur. Surprisingly, little is understood about the mechanisms by which certain metals and metal-containing species gain entry into target cells. Since there do not appear to be transporters designed specifically for the entry of most toxic metal species into mammalian cells, it has been postulated that some of these metals gain entry into target cells, through the mechanisms of ionic and/or molecular mimicry, at the site of transporters of essential elements and/or molecules. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the transport of selective toxic metals in target organs and provide evidence supporting a role of ionic and/or molecular mimicry. In the context of this review, molecular mimicry refers to the ability of a metal ion to bond to an endogenous organic molecule to form an organic metal species that acts as a functional or structural mimic of essential molecules at the sites of transporters of those molecules. Ionic mimicry refers to the ability of a cationic form of a toxic metal to mimic an essential element or cationic species of an element at the site of a transporter of that element. Molecular and ionic mimics can also be sub-classified as structural or functional mimics. This review will present the established and putative roles of molecular and ionic mimicry in the transport of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, selenium, and selected oxyanions in target organs and tissues. PMID:15845419

Molecular and ionic mimicry and the transport of toxic metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bridges, Christy C.; Zalups, Rudolfs K.

Despite many scientific advances, human exposure to, and intoxication by, toxic metal species continues to occur. Surprisingly, little is understood about the mechanisms by which certain metals and metal-containing species gain entry into target cells. Since there do not appear to be transporters designed specifically for the entry of most toxic metal species into mammalian cells, it has been postulated that some of these metals gain entry into target cells, through the mechanisms of ionic and/or molecular mimicry, at the site of transporters of essential elements and/or molecules. The primary purpose of this review is to discuss the transport ofmore » selective toxic metals in target organs and provide evidence supporting a role of ionic and/or molecular mimicry. In the context of this review, molecular mimicry refers to the ability of a metal ion to bond to an endogenous organic molecule to form an organic metal species that acts as a functional or structural mimic of essential molecules at the sites of transporters of those molecules. Ionic mimicry refers to the ability of a cationic form of a toxic metal to mimic an essential element or cationic species of an element at the site of a transporter of that element. Molecular and ionic mimics can also be sub-classified as structural or functional mimics. This review will present the established and putative roles of molecular and ionic mimicry in the transport of mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, selenium, and selected oxyanions in target organs and tissues.« less

Role of acetylcholine in control of sexual behavior of male and female mammals.

PubMed

Floody, Owen R

2014-05-01

The results of studies using systemic or central applications of cholinergic drugs suggest that acetylcholine makes important contributions to the neurochemical control of male- and female-typical reproductive behaviors. In males, cholinergic control seems largely specific to some elements or aspects of copulatory behavior that can vary significantly across species. Synapses in or near the medial preoptic area represent part of this mechanism, but the entire system appears to extend more widely, perhaps especially to one or more structures flanking some part of the lateral ventricle. In females, the lordosis response that essentially defines sexual receptivity is clearly responsive to cholinergic drugs. The same seems likely to be true of other elements of female sexual behavior, but additional studies will be needed to confirm this. Changes in cholinergic activity may help to mediate estrogenic effects on female sexual behavior. However, estrogen exposure can increase or decrease cholinergic effects, suggesting a relationship that is complex and requires further analysis. Also presently unclear is the localization of the cholinergic effects on female sexual responses. Though periventricular sites again have been implicated, their identity is presently unknown. This review discusses these and other aspects of the central cholinergic systems affecting male and female sexual behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Copper tolerance and virulence in bacteria

PubMed Central

Ladomersky, Erik; Petris, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element for all aerobic organisms. It functions as a cofactor in enzymes that catalyze a wide variety of redox reactions due to its ability to cycle between two oxidation states, Cu(I) and Cu(II). This same redox property of copper has the potential to cause toxicity if copper homeostasis is not maintained. Studies suggest that the toxic properties of copper are harnessed by the innate immune system of the host to kill bacteria. To counter such defenses, bacteria rely on copper tolerance genes for virulence within the host. These discoveries suggest bacterial copper intoxication is a component of host nutritional immunity, thus expanding our knowledge of the roles of copper in biology. This review summarizes our current understanding of copper tolerance in bacteria, and the extent to which these pathways contribute to bacterial virulence within the host. PMID:25652326

Essential role of integrin-linked kinase in regulation of phagocytosis in keratinocytes.

PubMed

Sayedyahossein, Samar; Nini, Lylia; Irvine, Timothy S; Dagnino, Lina

2012-10-01

Phagocytic melanosome uptake by epidermal keratinocytes is a central protective mechanism against damage induced by ultraviolet radiation. Phagocytosis requires formation of pseudopodia via actin cytoskeleton rearrangements. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is an important modulator of actin cytoskeletal dynamics. We have examined the role of ILK in regulation of phagocytosis, using epidermal keratinocytes isolated from mice with epidermis-restricted Ilk gene inactivation. ILK-deficient cells exhibited severely impaired capacity to engulf fluorescent microspheres in response to stimulation of the keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) receptor or the protease-activated receptor-2. KGF induced ERK phosphorylation in ILK-expressing and ILK-deficient cells, suggesting that ILK is not essential for KGF receptor signaling. In contrast, KGF promoted activation of Rac1 and formation of pseudopodia in ILK-expressing, but not in ILK-deficient cells. Rac1-deficient keratinocytes also showed substantially impaired phagocytic ability, underlining the importance of ILK-dependent Rac1 function for particle engulfment. Finally, cross-modulation of KGF receptors by integrins may be another important element, as integrin β1-deficient keratinocytes also fail to show significant phagocytosis in response to KGF. Thus, we have identified a novel signaling pathway essential for phagocytosis in keratinocytes, which involves ILK-dependent activation of Rac1 in response to KGF, resulting in the formation of pseudopodia and particle uptake.

Domain decomposition methods for nonconforming finite element spaces of Lagrange-type

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowsar, Lawrence C.

1993-01-01

In this article, we consider the application of three popular domain decomposition methods to Lagrange-type nonconforming finite element discretizations of scalar, self-adjoint, second order elliptic equations. The additive Schwarz method of Dryja and Widlund, the vertex space method of Smith, and the balancing method of Mandel applied to nonconforming elements are shown to converge at a rate no worse than their applications to the standard conforming piecewise linear Galerkin discretization. Essentially, the theory for the nonconforming elements is inherited from the existing theory for the conforming elements with only modest modification by constructing an isomorphism between the nonconforming finite element space and a space of continuous piecewise linear functions.

Trace Elements and Healthcare: A Bioinformatics Perspective.

PubMed

Zhang, Yan

2017-01-01

Biological trace elements are essential for human health. Imbalance in trace element metabolism and homeostasis may play an important role in a variety of diseases and disorders. While the majority of previous researches focused on experimental verification of genes involved in trace element metabolism and those encoding trace element-dependent proteins, bioinformatics study on trace elements is relatively rare and still at the starting stage. This chapter offers an overview of recent progress in bioinformatics analyses of trace element utilization, metabolism, and function, especially comparative genomics of several important metals. The relationship between individual elements and several diseases based on recent large-scale systematic studies such as genome-wide association studies and case-control studies is discussed. Lastly, developments of ionomics and its recent application in human health are also introduced.

Student Experiences on Interaction in an Online Learning Environment as Part of a Blended Learning Implementation: What Is Essential?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmi, Laura

2013-01-01

Interaction and community building are essential elements of a well functioning online learning environment, especially in learning environments based on investigative learning with a strong emphasis on teamwork. In this paper, practical solutions covering quality criteria for interaction in online education are presented for a simple…

Playing Fair: An Essential Element in Contracting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peeler, Tom

2012-01-01

Playing fair has a value with which people are all familiar. From the sandboxes of childhood and the competitive sports of youth to the business transactions of adulthood, people have been told how important it is to play fair. Playing fair in contracting is not only essential, it's the legal and ethical thing to do. In this article, the author…

Vision, Leadership, and Change: The Case of Ramah Summer Camps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimer, Joseph

2010-01-01

In his retrospective essay, Seymour Fox (1997) identified "vision" as the essential element that shaped the Ramah camp system. I will take a critical look at Fox's main claims: (1) A particular model of vision was essential to the development of Camp Ramah; and (2) That model of vision should guide contemporary Jewish educators in creating Jewish…

[Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: the essential of 2015 guidelines].

PubMed

Maudet, Ludovic; Carron, Pierre-Nicolas; Trueb, Lionel

2016-02-10

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines have been updated in October 2015. The 2010 guidelines are reaffirmed: immediate call for help via the local dispatch center, high quality CPR (frequency between 100 and 120/min, compression depth between 5 and 6 cm) and early defibrillation improve patient's survival chances. This article reviews the essential elements of resuscitation and recommended advanced measures.

Effective Communication: An Essential Tool To Cope with the Challenge of Technological Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coing, Marga

For a library to function effectively, it is essential that it fosters an open management style, which encourages communication of ideas and objectives both within the library itself and, by example, in other elements in the overall administration of which the library is a part. This paper describes the improvement in morale, efficiency, and…

Device of dispensing micro doses of aqueous solutions of substances onto a carrier and device for carrying out said method

DOEpatents

Ershow, Gennady Moiseevich; Kirillov, Evgenii Vladislavovich; Mirzabekov, Andrei Darievich

1998-01-01

A device for dispensing microdoses of aqueous solutions are provided, whereby the substance is transferred by the free surface end of a rodlike transferring element; the temperature of the transferring element is maintained at essentially the dew point of the ambient air during the transfer. The device may comprise a plate-like base to which are affixed a plurality of rods; the unfixed butt ends of the rods are coplanar. The device further comprises a means for maintaining the temperature of the unfixed butt ends of the rods essentially equal to the dew point of the ambient air during transfer of the aqueous substance.

Determination of toxic and essential trace elements in serum of healthy and hypothyroid respondents by ICP-MS: A chemometric approach for discrimination of hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Stojsavljević, Aleksandar; Trifković, Jelena; Rasić-Milutinović, Zorica; Jovanović, Dragana; Bogdanović, Gradimir; Mutić, Jelena; Manojlović, Dragan

2018-07-01

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry ((ICP-MS)) was used to determine three toxic (Ni, As, Cd) and six essential trace elements (Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se) in blood serum of patients with hypothyroidism (Hy group) and healthy people (control group), in order to set the experimental conditions for accurate determination of a unique profile of these elements in hypothyroidism. Method validation was performed with standard reference material of the serum by varying the sample treatment with both standard and collision mode for analysis of elements isotopes. Quadratic curvilinear functions with good performances of models and the lowest detection limits were obtained for 52 Cr, 66 Zn, 75 As, 112 Cd in collision mode, and 55 Mn, 59 Co, 60 Ni, 65 Cu, 78 Se in standard mode. Treatment of serum samples with aqueous solution containing nitric acid, Triton X-100 and n-butanol gave the best results. Chemometric tools were applied for discrimination of patients with hypothyroidism. All nine elements discriminated Hy group of samples with almost the same discriminating power as indicated by their higher values for this group of patients. Statistically significant correlation (p < 0.01) was observed for several elements. Results indicated clear differences in element profile between Hy and control group and it could be used as a unique profile of hypothyroid state. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Recurrence quantification analysis to characterize cyclical components of environmental elemental exposures during fetal and postnatal development

PubMed Central

Austin, Christine; Gennings, Chris; Tammimies, Kristiina; Bölte, Sven; Arora, Manish

2017-01-01

Environmental exposures to essential and toxic elements may alter health trajectories, depending on the timing, intensity, and mixture of exposures. In epidemiologic studies, these factors are typically analyzed as a function of elemental concentrations in biological matrices measured at one or more points in time. Such an approach, however, fails to account for the temporal cyclicity in the metabolism of environmental chemicals, which if perturbed may lead to adverse health outcomes. Here, we conceptualize and apply a non-linear method–recurrence quantification analysis (RQA)–to quantify cyclical components of prenatal and early postnatal exposure profiles for elements essential to normal development, including Zn, Mn, Mg, and Ca, and elements associated with deleterious health effects or narrow tolerance ranges, including Pb, As, and Cr. We found robust evidence of cyclical patterns in the metabolic profiles of nutrient elements, which we validated against randomized twin-surrogate time-series, and further found that nutrient dynamical properties differ from those of Cr, As, and Pb. Furthermore, we extended this approach to provide a novel method of quantifying dynamic interactions between two environmental exposures. To achieve this, we used cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA), and found that elemental nutrient-nutrient interactions differed from those involving toxicants. These rhythmic regulatory interactions, which we characterize in two geographically distinct cohorts, have not previously been uncovered using traditional regression-based approaches, and may provide a critical unit of analysis for environmental and dietary exposures in epidemiological studies. PMID:29112980

Gamma radiation field intensity meter

DOEpatents

Thacker, L.H.

1995-10-17

A gamma radiation intensity meter measures dose rate of a radiation field. The gamma radiation intensity meter includes a tritium battery emitting beta rays generating a current which is essentially constant. Dose rate is correlated to an amount of movement of an electroscope element charged by the tritium battery. Ionizing radiation decreases the voltage at the element and causes movement. A bleed resistor is coupled between the electroscope support element or electrode and the ionization chamber wall electrode. 4 figs.

Gamma radiation field intensity meter

DOEpatents

Thacker, L.H.

1994-08-16

A gamma radiation intensity meter measures dose rate of a radiation field. The gamma radiation intensity meter includes a tritium battery emitting beta rays generating a current which is essentially constant. Dose rate is correlated to an amount of movement of an electroscope element charged by the tritium battery. Ionizing radiation decreases the voltage at the element and causes movement. A bleed resistor is coupled between the electroscope support element or electrode and the ionization chamber wall electrode. 4 figs.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND BACKGROUND OF THE POSITION ANALYSIS QUESTIONNAIRE

DTIC Science & Technology

The report deals with the background and the development of the Position Analysis Questionnaire ( PAQ ), which was used as the basic job analysis...instrument in the research program. The PAQ (Form A) used in the study includes 189 job elements of an essentially ’worker-oriented’ nature, these elements...characterize certain aspects of the context within which human work is performed. The job elements of the PAQ have been used as the basis for deriving various

Determination of Trace Elements in Edible Nuts in the Beijing Market by ICP-M.

PubMed

Yin, Liang Liang; Tian, Qing; Shao, Xian Zhang; Kong, Xiang Yin; Ji, Yan Qin

2015-06-01

Nuts have received increased attention from the public in recent years as important sources of some essential elements, and information on the levels of elements in edible nuts is useful to consumers. Determination of the elemental distributions in nuts is not only necessary in evaluating the total dietary intake of the essential elements, but also useful in detecting heavy metal contamination in food. The aim of this study was to determine the mineral contents in edible nuts, and to assess the food safety of nuts in the Beijing market. Levels of Li, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Cs, Ba, Pb, Th, and U in 11 types of edible nuts and seeds (macadamia nuts, lotus nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, and ginkgo nuts) as well as raisins were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The accuracy of the method was validated using standard reference materials GBW10014 (cabbage) and GBW10016 (tea). Our results provide useful information for evaluating the levels of trace elements in edible nuts in the Beijing market, will be helpful for improving food safety, and will aid in better protecting consumer interests. Copyright © 2015 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Is the Fungus Magnaporthe Losing DNA Methylation?

PubMed Central

Ikeda, Ken-ichi; Van Vu, Ba; Kadotani, Naoki; Tanaka, Masaki; Murata, Toshiki; Shiina, Kohta; Chuma, Izumi; Tosa, Yukio; Nakayashiki, Hitoshi

2013-01-01

The long terminal repeat retrotransposon, Magnaporthe gypsy-like element (MAGGY), has been shown to be targeted for cytosine methylation in a subset of Magnaporthe oryzae field isolates. Analysis of the F1 progeny from a genetic cross between methylation-proficient (Br48) and methylation-deficient (GFSI1-7-2) isolates revealed that methylation of the MAGGY element was governed by a single dominant gene. Positional cloning followed by gene disruption and complementation experiments revealed that the responsible gene was the DNA methyltransferase, MoDMT1, an ortholog of Neurospora crassa Dim-2. A survey of MAGGY methylation in 60 Magnaporthe field isolates revealed that 42 isolates from rice, common millet, wheat, finger millet, and buffelgrass were methylation proficient while 18 isolates from foxtail millet, green bristlegrass, Japanese panicgrass, torpedo grass, Guinea grass, and crabgrass were methylation deficient. Phenotypic analyses showed that MoDMT1 plays no major role in development and pathogenicity of the fungus. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the average copy number of genomic MAGGY elements was not significantly different between methylation-deficient and -proficient field isolates even though the levels of MAGGY transcript were generally higher in the former group. MoDMT1 gene sequences in the methylation-deficient isolates suggested that at least three independent mutations were responsible for the loss of MoDMT1 function. Overall, our data suggest that MoDMT1 is not essential for the natural life cycle of the fungus and raise the possibility that the genus Magnaporthe may be losing the mechanism of DNA methylation on the evolutionary time scale. PMID:23979580

Formation of Metal and Silicate Globules in Gujba: A New Bencubbin-like Meteorite Fall

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubin, Alan E.; Kallemeyn, Gregory W.; Wasson, John T.; Clayton, Robert N.; Mayeda, Toshiko; Grady, Monica; Verchovsky, Alexander B.; Eugster, Otto; Lorenzetti, Silvio

2006-01-01

Gujba is a coarse-grained meteorite fall composed of 41 vol% large kamacite globules, 20 vol% large light-colored silicate globules with cryptocrystalline, barred pyroxene and barred olivine textures, 39 vol% dark-colored, silicate-rich matrix, and rare refractory inclusions. Gujba resembles Bencubbin and Weatherford in texture, oxygen-isotopic composition and in having high bulk delta N-15 values (approximately +685%0). The He-3 cosmic-ray exposure age of Gujba (26 +/- 7 Ma) is essentially identical to that of Bencubbin, suggesting that they were both reduced to meter-size fragments in the same parent-body collision. The Gujba metal globules exhibit metal-troilite quench textures and vary in their abundances of troilite and volatile siderophile elements. We suggest that the metal globules formed as liquid droplets either via condensation in an impact-generated vapor plume or by evaporation of preexisting metal particles in a plume. The lower the abundance of volatile elements in the metal globules, the higher the globule quench temperature. We infer that the large silicate globules also formed from completely molten droplets; their low volatile-element abundances indicate that they also formed at high temperatures, probably by processes analogous to those that formed the metal globules. The coarse-grained Bencubbin-Weatherford-Gujba meteorites may represent a depositional component from the vapor cloud enriched in coarse and dense particles. A second class of Bencubbin-like meteorites (represented by Hammadah a1 Hamra 237 and QUE 94411) may be a finer fraction derived from the same vapor cloud

Sources of halogens in the environment, influences on human and animal health.

PubMed

Fuge, R

1988-06-01

Of the halogens, fluorine has the highest crustal abundance (544 mg/kg) while iodine has the lowest (0.25 mg/kg), however, chlorine is by far the most abundant halogen in the cosmos. The geochemistries of the four naturally occurring halogens have some similarities with fluorine, chlorine and bromine being classified as lithophile elements while iodine is more chalcophile in nature. Bromine and iodine behave in a similar fashion in the secondary environment and could be classified as biophile elements being concentrated in organic matter. Chlorine, bromine and iodine are strongly enriched in the sea while iodine and to a lesser extent bromine are further concentrated in the marine algae.Apart from the occurrence of fluorine in fluorite (CaF2) there are few commonly occurring minerals which contain the halogens as essential constituents. In the igneous environment fluorine and chlorine tend to occupy hydroxyl lattice sites in micas, amphiboles, apatites etc., while in sediments clays can contain appreciable quantities of these elements. Bromine and iodine, however, would be unlikely to fit into the lattice sites of common rock-forming minerals.Bromine, like iodine, is probably volatilised from the marine environment and is carried on to land surfaces. This behaviour of iodine and bromine is reflected in the increased I/CI and Br/CI ratios of surface run-off in continental compared with near coastal environments.Limited information on the soil geochemistry of the halogens suggests that the soil contents of chlorine, bromine and iodine are influenced by proximity to the sea. Soil fluorine, however, is generally dependent on its content in the parent material. In some areas pollutant sources of the halogens contribute appreciably to their concentration in the environment.Iodine and chlorine are essential elements for mammals and fluorine has been shown to have beneficial effects on bone and tooth formation. However, excess quantities of dietary fluorine can be harmful. It is possible, in view of its ubiquitous occurrence in the biosphere, that bromine has a hitherto unknown function in human and animal health.

Trace elements distributions at Datoko-Shega artisanal mining site, northern Ghana.

PubMed

Arhin, Emmanuel; Boansi, Apea Ohene; Zango, M S

2016-02-01

Environmental geochemistry classifies elements into essential, non-essential and toxic elements in relationship to human health. To assess the environmental impact of mining at Datoko-Shega area, the distributions and concentrations of trace elements in stream sediments and soil samples were carried out. X-ray fluorescence analytical technique was used to measure the major and trace element concentrations in sediments and modified fire assay absorption spectrometry in soils. The results showed general depletion of major elements except titanium oxide (TiO2) compared to the average crustal concentrations. The retention of TiO2 at the near surface environment probably was due to the intense tropical weathering accompanied by the removal of fine sediments and soil fractions during the harmattan season by the dry north-east trade winds and sheet wash deposits formed after flash floods. The results also showed extreme contamination of selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg), plus strong contaminations of arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) in addition to moderate contamination of lead (Pb) in the trace element samples relative to crustal averages in the upper continental crust. However Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations tend to be high around the artisanal workings. It was recognised from the analysis of the results that the artisanal mining activity harnessed and introduces some potentially toxic elements such as Hg, Cd and Pb mostly in the artisan mine sites. But the interpretation of the trace element data thus invalidates the elevation of As concentrations to be from the mine operations. It consequently noticed As values in the mine-impacted areas to be similar or sometimes lower than As values in areas outside the mine sites from the stream sediment results.

Trace element concentrations in liver of 16 species of cetaceans stranded on Pacific Islands from 1997 through 2013

PubMed Central

Hansen, Angela M. K.; Bryan, Colleen E.; West, Kristi; Jensen, Brenda A.

2016-01-01

The impacts of anthropogenic contaminants on marine ecosystems are a concern worldwide. Anthropogenic activities can enrich trace elements in marine biota to concentrations that may negatively impact organism health. Exposure to elevated concentrations of trace elements is considered a contributing factor in marine mammal population declines. Hawai'i is an increasingly important geographic location for global monitoring, yet trace element concentrations have not been quantified in Hawaiian cetaceans, and there is little trace element data for Pacific cetaceans. This study measured trace elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb) in liver of 16 species of cetaceans that stranded on U.S. Pacific Islands from 1997–2013, using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) (n = 31), and direct mercury analysis atomic absorption spectrometry (DMA-AAS) (n = 43). Concentration ranges (µg/g wet mass fraction) for non-essential trace elements such as Cd (0.0031–58.93) and Hg (0.0062–1571.75) were much greater than essential trace elements such as Mn (0.590–17.31) and Zn (14.72–245.38). Differences were found among age classes in Cu, Zn, Hg, and Se concentrations. The highest concentrations of Se, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb were found in one adult female false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) at concentrations that are known to affect health in marine mammals. The results of this study establish initial trace element concentration ranges for Pacific cetaceans in the Hawaiian Islands region, provide insights into contaminant exposure of these marine mammals, and contribute to a greater understanding of anthropogenic impacts in the Pacific Ocean. PMID:26283019

Trace Element Concentrations in Liver of 16 Species of Cetaceans Stranded on Pacific Islands from 1997 through 2013.

PubMed

Hansen, Angela M K; Bryan, Colleen E; West, Kristi; Jensen, Brenda A

2016-01-01

The impacts of anthropogenic contaminants on marine ecosystems are a concern worldwide. Anthropogenic activities can enrich trace elements in marine biota to concentrations that may negatively impact organism health. Exposure to elevated concentrations of trace elements is considered a contributing factor in marine mammal population declines. Hawai'i is an increasingly important geographic location for global monitoring, yet trace element concentrations have not been quantified in Hawaiian cetaceans, and there is little trace element data for Pacific cetaceans. This study measured trace elements (Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb) in liver of 16 species of cetaceans that stranded on U.S. Pacific Islands from 1997 to 2013, using high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) (n = 31), and direct mercury analysis atomic absorption spectrometry (DMA-AAS) (n = 43). Concentration ranges (μg/g wet mass fraction) for non-essential trace elements, such as Cd (0.0031-58.93) and Hg (0.0062-1571.75) were much greater than essential trace elements, such as Mn (0.590-17.31) and Zn (14.72-245.38). Differences were found among age classes in Cu, Zn, Hg, and Se concentrations. The highest concentrations of Se, Cd, Sn, Hg, and Pb were found in one adult female false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) at concentrations that are known to affect health in marine mammals. The results of this study establish initial trace element concentration ranges for Pacific cetaceans in the Hawaiian Islands region, provide insights into contaminant exposure of these marine mammals, and contribute to a greater understanding of anthropogenic impacts in the Pacific Ocean.

Recycling of trace elements required for humans in CELSS.

PubMed

Ashida, A

1994-11-01

Recycle of complete nourishment necessary for human should be constructed in CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems). Essential elements necessary for human support are categorized as major elements, semi-major elements and trace elements. Recently, trace elements have been identified from considerations of local diseases, food additive problems, pollution problems and adult diseases, consisting of Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, Co, F, Si, Mn, Cr, I, As, Mo, Ni, V, Sn, Li, Br, Cd, Pb, B. A review of the biogeochemical history of the earth's biosphere and the physiological nature of humans and plants explains some of the requirements. A possible route for intake of trace elements is considered that trace elements are dissolved in some chemical form in water, absorbed by plants through their roots and then transfered to human as foods. There may be a possibility that living things absorb some trace elements from atmosphere. Management and recycling of trace elements in CELSS is discussed.

Recycling of trace elements required for humans in CELSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashida, A.

1994-11-01

Recycle of complete nourishment necessary for human should be constructed in CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems). Essential elements necessary for human support are categorized as major elements, semi-major elements and trace elements. Recently, trace elements have been identified from considerations of local diseases, food additive problems, pollution problems and adult diseases, consisting of Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, Co, F, Si, Mn, Cr, I, As, Mo, Ni, V, Sn, Li, Br, Cd, Pb, B. A review of the biogeochemical history of the earth's biosphere and the physiological nature of humans and plants explains some of the requirements. A possible route for intake of trace elements is considered that trace elements are dissolved in some chemical form in water, absorbed by plants through their roots and then transfered to human as foods. There may be a posibility that living things absorb some trace elements from atmosphere. Management and recycling of trace elements in CELSS is discussed.

Using a knowledge transfer framework to identify factors facilitating implementation of family-based treatment.

PubMed

Couturier, Jennifer; Kimber, Melissa; Jack, Susan; Niccols, Alison; Van Blyderveen, Sherry; McVey, Gail

2014-05-01

To conduct a qualitative study to identify factors that would facilitate the transfer of the research evidence on Family-Based Treatment (FBT) into clinical practice. Fundamental qualitative description guided sampling, data collection, and analytic decisions for this study. Forty therapists who treat children and adolescents under the age of 18 with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and belong to Ontario's provincial network of specialized eating disorder services completed an in-depth interview focusing on elements proposed by the Lavis knowledge transfer framework. An experienced coder conducted content analysis, with 20% of the interviews double-coded for reliability purposes. Participants requested training in the FBT model, including the provision of research evidence (i.e., journal articles), as well as the specific tenets of the model according to the FBT manual. The suggested audience for implementation included not only therapists themselves, but administrators, physicians, and community members. The development of best practice guidelines was also supported. Local FBT experts were suggested as credible messengers. Infrastructure relating to financial support and time away from clinical duties were reported to be essential for training. Ongoing supervision and mentorship were reported to be important elements of implementation and evaluation processes. Suggestions for moving FBT into practice were consistent with previous research, however, the importance of obtaining the evidence in the form of primary research articles and obtaining team buy-in were remarkable. Developing context-specific training programs and administrative processes for the implementation of FBT are warranted. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of soil composition on the major, minor and trace metal content of Velebit biomedical plants.

PubMed

Zeiner, Michaela; Juranović Cindrić, Iva; Požgaj, Martina; Pirkl, Raimund; Šilić, Tea; Stingeder, Gerhard

2015-03-15

The use of medical herbs for the treatment of many human diseases is increasing nowadays due to their mild features and low side effects. Not only for their healing properties, but also for their nutritive value supplementation of diet with various herbs is recommended. Thus also their analysis is of rising importance. While total elemental compositions are published for many common herbs, the origin of toxic as well as beneficial elements is not yet well investigated. Thus different indigenous medicinal plants, namely Croatian spruce (Picea abies), savory (Satureja montana L.), mountain yarrow (Achillea clavennae), showy calamint (Calamintha grandiflora), micromeria (Micromeria croatica), yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) and fir (Abies alba) together with soil samples were collected in the National Park Northern Velebit. The macro- and trace elements content, after microwave digestion, was determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The study focuses on the one hand on essential elements and on the other hand on non-essential elements which are considered as toxic for humans, covering in total Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Finite element simulations of the head-brain responses to the top impacts of a construction helmet: Effects of the neck and body mass.

PubMed

Wu, John Z; Pan, Christopher S; Wimer, Bryan M; Rosen, Charles L

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injuries are among the most common severely disabling injuries in the United States. Construction helmets are considered essential personal protective equipment for reducing traumatic brain injury risks at work sites. In this study, we proposed a practical finite element modeling approach that would be suitable for engineers to optimize construction helmet design. The finite element model includes all essential anatomical structures of a human head (i.e. skin, scalp, skull, cerebrospinal fluid, brain, medulla, spinal cord, cervical vertebrae, and discs) and all major engineering components of a construction helmet (i.e. shell and suspension system). The head finite element model has been calibrated using the experimental data in the literature. It is technically difficult to precisely account for the effects of the neck and body mass on the dynamic responses, because the finite element model does not include the entire human body. An approximation approach has been developed to account for the effects of the neck and body mass on the dynamic responses of the head-brain. Using the proposed model, we have calculated the responses of the head-brain during a top impact when wearing a construction helmet. The proposed modeling approach would provide a tool to improve the helmet design on a biomechanical basis.

Human Geophagia, Calabash Chalk and Undongo: Mineral Element Nutritional Implications

PubMed Central

Abrahams, Peter W.; Davies, Theo C.; Solomon, Abiye O.; Trow, Amanda J.; Wragg, Joanna

2013-01-01

The prime aim of our work is to report and comment on the bioaccessible concentrations – i.e., the soluble content of chemical elements in the gastrointestinal environment that is available for absorption – of a number of essential mineral nutrients and potentially harmful elements (PHEs) associated with the deliberate ingestion of African geophagical materials, namely Calabash chalk and Undongo. The pseudo-total concentrations of 13 mineral nutrients/PHEs were quantified following a nitric-perchloric acid digestion of nine different Calabash chalk samples, and bioaccessible contents of eight of these chemical elements were determined in simulated saliva/gastric and intestinal solutions obtained via use of the Fed ORganic Estimation human Simulation Test (FOREhST) in vitro procedure. The Calabash chalk pseudo-total content of the chemical elements is often below what may be regarded as average for soils/shales, and no concentration is excessively high. The in vitro leachate solutions had concentrations that were often lower than those of the blanks used in our experimental procedure, indicative of effective adsorption: lead, a PHE about which concern has been previously raised in connection with the consumption of Calabash chalk, was one such chemical element where this was evident. However, some concentrations in the leachate solutions are suggestive that Calabash chalk can be a source of chemical elements to humans in bioaccessible form, although generally the materials appear to be only a modest supplier: this applies even to iron, a mineral nutrient that has often been linked to the benefits of geophagia in previous academic literature. Our investigations indicate that at the reported rates of ingestion, Calabash chalk on the whole is not an important source of mineral nutrients or PHEs to humans. Similarly, although Undongo contains elevated pseudo-total concentrations of chromium and nickel, this soil is not a significant source to humans for any of the bioaccessible elements investigated. PMID:23308189

Human geophagia, calabash chalk and undongo: mineral element nutritional implications.

PubMed

Abrahams, Peter W; Davies, Theo C; Solomon, Abiye O; Trow, Amanda J; Wragg, Joanna

2013-01-01

The prime aim of our work is to report and comment on the bioaccessible concentrations - i.e., the soluble content of chemical elements in the gastrointestinal environment that is available for absorption - of a number of essential mineral nutrients and potentially harmful elements (PHEs) associated with the deliberate ingestion of African geophagical materials, namely Calabash chalk and Undongo. The pseudo-total concentrations of 13 mineral nutrients/PHEs were quantified following a nitric-perchloric acid digestion of nine different Calabash chalk samples, and bioaccessible contents of eight of these chemical elements were determined in simulated saliva/gastric and intestinal solutions obtained via use of the Fed ORganic Estimation human Simulation Test (FOREhST) in vitro procedure. The Calabash chalk pseudo-total content of the chemical elements is often below what may be regarded as average for soils/shales, and no concentration is excessively high. The in vitro leachate solutions had concentrations that were often lower than those of the blanks used in our experimental procedure, indicative of effective adsorption: lead, a PHE about which concern has been previously raised in connection with the consumption of Calabash chalk, was one such chemical element where this was evident. However, some concentrations in the leachate solutions are suggestive that Calabash chalk can be a source of chemical elements to humans in bioaccessible form, although generally the materials appear to be only a modest supplier: this applies even to iron, a mineral nutrient that has often been linked to the benefits of geophagia in previous academic literature. Our investigations indicate that at the reported rates of ingestion, Calabash chalk on the whole is not an important source of mineral nutrients or PHEs to humans. Similarly, although Undongo contains elevated pseudo-total concentrations of chromium and nickel, this soil is not a significant source to humans for any of the bioaccessible elements investigated.

The Challenge of Volunteering Frequency in Croatia--Can Volunteers Contribute to the Social Capital Development Once a Year?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culum, Bojana; Forcic, Gordana

2008-01-01

Volunteering is one of the strongest elements of shaping democratic change within the society. It is also an essential element in citizenship development and in re-establishing a sense of community. Volunteering empowers individuals, builds solidarity, encourages participation and protects vulnerable groups against social and economic…

Understanding the Alternative Conceptions of Pre-Service Secondary Science Teachers about Tidal Phenomena Based on Toulmin's Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Jun-Young

2014-01-01

Constructing explanations and participating in argumentative discourse are seen as essential practices of scientific inquiry. The objective of this study was to explore the elements and origins of pre-service secondary science teachers' alternative conceptions of tidal phenomena based on the elements used in Toulmin's Argument Model through…

Elements of Success: WorkReady Philadelphia Program Year 2011-2012 Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philadelphia Youth Network, 2012

2012-01-01

What does it take to deliver WorkReady Philadelphia's high-quality career-connected programming? In short, it's all about the "elements"--those essential components of the system that combine to produce success for young people. This 2011-12 WorkReady report reinforces this theme by using visual aspects of the "Periodic Table of…

Core Clinical Data Elements for Cancer Genomic Repositories: A Multi-stakeholder Consensus.

PubMed

Conley, Robert B; Dickson, Dane; Zenklusen, Jean Claude; Al Naber, Jennifer; Messner, Donna A; Atasoy, Ajlan; Chaihorsky, Lena; Collyar, Deborah; Compton, Carolyn; Ferguson, Martin; Khozin, Sean; Klein, Roger D; Kotte, Sri; Kurzrock, Razelle; Lin, C Jimmy; Liu, Frank; Marino, Ingrid; McDonough, Robert; McNeal, Amy; Miller, Vincent; Schilsky, Richard L; Wang, Lisa I

2017-11-16

The Center for Medical Technology Policy and the Molecular Evidence Development Consortium gathered a diverse group of more than 50 stakeholders to develop consensus on a core set of data elements and values essential to understanding the clinical utility of molecularly targeted therapies in oncology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 78727 - Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate; Exemption From the Requirement of a Tolerance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-27

.... If EPA is able to determine that a finite tolerance is not necessary to ensure that there is a... ubiquitous in nature and is a necessary nutritional element for both animals (including humans) and plants... natural ore. It is one of the elements found essential to life. The National Academy of Science...

A Conceptual Model of Mathematical Reasoning for School Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeannotte, Doris; Kieran, Carolyn

2017-01-01

The development of students' mathematical reasoning (MR) is a goal of several curricula and an essential element of the culture of the mathematics education research community. But what mathematical reasoning consists of is not always clear; it is generally assumed that everyone has a sense of what it is. Wanting to clarify the elements of MR,…

Arabidopsis and the Genetic Potential for the Phytoremediation of Toxic Elemental and Organic Pollutants

PubMed Central

Cobbett, Christopher S.; Meagher, Richard B.

2002-01-01

In a process called phytoremediation, plants can be used to extract, detoxify, and/or sequester toxic pollutants from soil, water, and air. Phytoremediation may become an essential tool in cleaning the environment and reducing human and animal exposure to potential carcinogens and other toxins. Arabidopsis has provided useful information about the genetic, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms behind phytoremediation, and it is an excellent model genetic organism to test foreign gene expression. This review focuses on Arabidopsis studies concerning: 1) the remediation of elemental pollutants; 2) the remediation of organic pollutants; and 3) the phytoremediation genome. Elemental pollutants include heavy metals and metalloids (e.g., mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic) that are immutable. The general goal of phytoremediation is to extract, detoxify, and hyperaccumulate elemental pollutants in above-ground plant tissues for later harvest. A few dozen Arabidopsis genes and proteins that play direct roles in the remediation of elemental pollutants are discussed. Organic pollutants include toxic chemicals such as benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, polychlorinated biphenyls, trichloroethylene, trinitrotoluene, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. Phytoremediation of organic pollutants is focused on their complete mineralization to harmless products, however, less is known about the potential of plants to act on complex organic chemicals. A preliminary survey of the Arabidopsis genome suggests that as many as 700 genes encode proteins that have the capacity to act directly on environmental pollutants or could be modified to do so. The potential of the phytoremediation proteome to be used to reduce human exposure to toxic pollutants appears to be enormous and untapped. PMID:22303204

Self-management education interventions for patients with cancer: a systematic review.

PubMed

Howell, Doris; Harth, Tamara; Brown, Judy; Bennett, Cathy; Boyko, Susan

2017-04-01

This systematic review was intended to identify the effectiveness and inclusion of essential components of self-management education interventions to support patients with cancer in developing the skills needed for effective self-management of their disease and the acute or immediate, long-term, and late harmful effects of treatments. Self-management education interventions were included if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) containing at least one of the eight core elements outlined by the research team. A systematic search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE (2005 through April 2015), Embase (2005 to 2015, week 15), the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Issue 4, April 2015), CINAHL (2005 to 2015) and PsychINFO (2005 to 2015). Keywords searched include 'self-management patient education' or 'patient education'. Forty-two RCTs examining self-management education interventions for patients with cancer were identified. Heterogeneity of interventions precluded meta-analysis, but narrative qualitative synthesis suggested that self-management education interventions improve symptoms of fatigue, pain, depression, anxiety, emotional distress and quality of life. Results for specific combinations of core elements were inconclusive. Very few studies used the same combinations of core elements, and among those that did, results were conflicting. Thus, conclusions as to the components or elements of self-management education interventions associated with the strength of the effects could not be assessed by this review. Defining the core components of cancer self-management education and the fundamental elements for inclusion in supporting effective self-management will be critical to ensure consistent and effective provision of self-management support in the cancer system.

Sieve element occlusion (SEO) genes encode structural phloem proteins involved in wound sealing of the phloem.

PubMed

Ernst, Antonia M; Jekat, Stephan B; Zielonka, Sascia; Müller, Boje; Neumann, Ulla; Rüping, Boris; Twyman, Richard M; Krzyzanek, Vladislav; Prüfer, Dirk; Noll, Gundula A

2012-07-10

The sieve element occlusion (SEO) gene family originally was delimited to genes encoding structural components of forisomes, which are specialized crystalloid phloem proteins found solely in the Fabaceae. More recently, SEO genes discovered in various non-Fabaceae plants were proposed to encode the common phloem proteins (P-proteins) that plug sieve plates after wounding. We carried out a comprehensive characterization of two tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) SEO genes (NtSEO). Reporter genes controlled by the NtSEO promoters were expressed specifically in immature sieve elements, and GFP-SEO fusion proteins formed parietal agglomerates in intact sieve elements as well as sieve plate plugs after wounding. NtSEO proteins with and without fluorescent protein tags formed agglomerates similar in structure to native P-protein bodies when transiently coexpressed in Nicotiana benthamiana, and the analysis of these protein complexes by electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural features resembling those of native P-proteins. NtSEO-RNA interference lines were essentially devoid of P-protein structures and lost photoassimilates more rapidly after injury than control plants, thus confirming the role of P-proteins in sieve tube sealing. We therefore provide direct evidence that SEO genes in tobacco encode P-protein subunits that affect translocation. We also found that peptides recently identified in fascicular phloem P-protein plugs from squash (Cucurbita maxima) represent cucurbit members of the SEO family. Our results therefore suggest a common evolutionary origin for P-proteins found in the sieve elements of all dicotyledonous plants and demonstrate the exceptional status of extrafascicular P-proteins in cucurbits.

Use of fractional factorial design for optimization of digestion procedures followed by multi-element determination of essential and non-essential elements in nuts using ICP-OES technique.

PubMed

Momen, Awad A; Zachariadis, George A; Anthemidis, Aristidis N; Stratis, John A

2007-01-15

Two digestion procedures have been tested on nut samples for application in the determination of essential (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn) and non-essential (Al, Ba, Cd, Pb) elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). These included wet digestions with HNO(3)/H(2)SO(4) and HNO(3)/H(2)SO(4)/H(2)O(2). The later one is recommended for better analytes recoveries (relative error<11%). Two calibrations (aqueous standard and standard addition) procedures were studied and proved that standard addition was preferable for all analytes. Experimental designs for seven factors (HNO(3), H(2)SO(4) and H(2)O(2) volumes, digestion time, pre-digestion time, temperature of the hot plate and sample weight) were used for optimization of sample digestion procedures. For this purpose Plackett-Burman fractional factorial design, which involve eight experiments was adopted. The factors HNO(3) and H(2)O(2) volume, and the digestion time were found to be the most important parameters. The instrumental conditions were also optimized (using peanut matrix rather than aqueous standard solutions) considering radio-frequency (rf) incident power, nebulizer argon gas flow rate and sample uptake flow rate. The analytical performance, such as limits of detection (LOD<0.74mugg(-1)), precision of the overall procedures (relative standard deviation between 2.0 and 8.2%) and accuracy (relative errors between 0.4 and 11%) were assessed statistically to evaluate the developed analytical procedures. The good agreement between measured and certified values for all analytes (relative error <11%) with respect to IAEA-331 (spinach leaves) and IAEA-359 (cabbage) indicates that the developed analytical method is well suited for further studies on the fate of major elements in nuts and possibly similar matrices.

A global survey of effects of genotype and environment on selenium concentration in lentils (Lens culinaris L.): Implications for nutritional fortification strategies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lentils (Lens culinaris L.) are an important protein and carbohydrate food, rich in essential dietary components and trace elements. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for human health. For adults, 55 µg of daily Se intake is recommended for better health and cancer prevention. Millions of ...

A First Look at Tree Decay: An Introduction to How Injury and Decay Affect Trees

Treesearch

Kevin T Smith; Walter C. Shortle

1998-01-01

Photosynthesis and decay are the two most essential processes in nature. Photosynthesis by green plants captures and stores energy from the sun. This energy is used to form wood and other tree parts. Photosynthesis also removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen to the atmosphere. Decay releases stored energy and essential elements by the breakdown...

The 4-H Club Meeting: An Essential Youth Development Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassels, Alicia; Post, Liz; Nestor, Patrick I.

2015-01-01

The club meeting has served as a key delivery method for 4-H programming across the United States throughout its history. A survey of WV 4-H community club members reinforces the body of evidence that the 4-H club meeting is an effective vehicle for delivering positive youth learning opportunities within the umbrella of the Essential Elements of…

Binding of TFIIIC to sine elements controls the relocation of activity-dependent neuronal genes to transcription factories.

PubMed

Crepaldi, Luca; Policarpi, Cristina; Coatti, Alessandro; Sherlock, William T; Jongbloets, Bart C; Down, Thomas A; Riccio, Antonella

2013-01-01

In neurons, the timely and accurate expression of genes in response to synaptic activity relies on the interplay between epigenetic modifications of histones, recruitment of regulatory proteins to chromatin and changes to nuclear structure. To identify genes and regulatory elements responsive to synaptic activation in vivo, we performed a genome-wide ChIPseq analysis of acetylated histone H3 using somatosensory cortex of mice exposed to novel enriched environmental (NEE) conditions. We discovered that Short Interspersed Elements (SINEs) located distal to promoters of activity-dependent genes became acetylated following exposure to NEE and were bound by the general transcription factor TFIIIC. Importantly, under depolarizing conditions, inducible genes relocated to transcription factories (TFs), and this event was controlled by TFIIIC. Silencing of the TFIIIC subunit Gtf3c5 in non-stimulated neurons induced uncontrolled relocation to TFs and transcription of activity-dependent genes. Remarkably, in cortical neurons, silencing of Gtf3c5 mimicked the effects of chronic depolarization, inducing a dramatic increase of both dendritic length and branching. These findings reveal a novel and essential regulatory function of both SINEs and TFIIIC in mediating gene relocation and transcription. They also suggest that TFIIIC may regulate the rearrangement of nuclear architecture, allowing the coordinated expression of activity-dependent neuronal genes.

On the role of acoustic feedback in boundary-layer instability.

PubMed

Wu, Xuesong

2014-07-28

In this paper, the classical triple-deck formalism is employed to investigate two instability problems in which an acoustic feedback loop plays an essential role. The first concerns a subsonic boundary layer over a flat plate on which two well-separated roughness elements are present. A spatially amplifying Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) wave between the roughness elements is scattered by the downstream roughness to emit a sound wave that propagates upstream and impinges on the upstream roughness to regenerate the T-S wave, thereby forming a closed feedback loop in the streamwise direction. Numerical calculations suggest that, at high Reynolds numbers and for moderate roughness heights, the long-range acoustic coupling may lead to absolute instability, which is characterized by self-sustained oscillations at discrete frequencies. The dominant peak frequency may jump from one value to another as the Reynolds number, or the distance between the roughness elements, is varied gradually. The second problem concerns the supersonic 'twin boundary layers' that develop along two well-separated parallel flat plates. The two boundary layers are in mutual interaction through the impinging and reflected acoustic waves. It is found that the interaction leads to a new instability that is absent in the unconfined boundary layer. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Uptake and subcellular distributions of cadmium and selenium in transplanted aquatic insect larvae.

PubMed

Rosabal, Maikel; Ponton, Dominic E; Campbell, Peter G C; Hare, Landis

2014-11-04

We transplanted larvae of the phantom midge Chaoborus punctipennis from a lake having lower concentrations of Cd and Se (Lake Dasserat) to a more contaminated lake (Lake Dufault) located near a metal smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. Transplanted individuals were held in mesh mesocosms for up to 16 days where they were fed with indigenous contaminated zooplankton. Larval Cd and Se burdens increased over time, and came to equal those measured in indigenous C. punctipennis from contaminated Lake Dufault. Larval Se burdens increased steadily, whereas those of Cd showed an initial lag phase that we explain by a change in the efficiency with which this insect assimilated Cd from its prey. We measured Cd and Se in subcellular fractions and found that larvae sequestered the majority (60%) of the incoming Cd in a detoxified fraction containing metal-binding proteins, whereas a minority of this nonessential metal was in sensitive fractions (20%). In contrast, a much higher proportion of the essential element Se (40%) was apportioned to metabolically active sensitive fractions. Larvae took up equimolar quantities of these elements over the course of the experiment. Likewise, Cd and Se concentrations in wild larvae were equimolar, which suggests that they are exposed to equimolar bioavailable concentrations of these elements in our study lakes.

Binding of TFIIIC to SINE Elements Controls the Relocation of Activity-Dependent Neuronal Genes to Transcription Factories

PubMed Central

Crepaldi, Luca; Policarpi, Cristina; Coatti, Alessandro; Sherlock, William T.; Jongbloets, Bart C.; Down, Thomas A.; Riccio, Antonella

2013-01-01

In neurons, the timely and accurate expression of genes in response to synaptic activity relies on the interplay between epigenetic modifications of histones, recruitment of regulatory proteins to chromatin and changes to nuclear structure. To identify genes and regulatory elements responsive to synaptic activation in vivo, we performed a genome-wide ChIPseq analysis of acetylated histone H3 using somatosensory cortex of mice exposed to novel enriched environmental (NEE) conditions. We discovered that Short Interspersed Elements (SINEs) located distal to promoters of activity-dependent genes became acetylated following exposure to NEE and were bound by the general transcription factor TFIIIC. Importantly, under depolarizing conditions, inducible genes relocated to transcription factories (TFs), and this event was controlled by TFIIIC. Silencing of the TFIIIC subunit Gtf3c5 in non-stimulated neurons induced uncontrolled relocation to TFs and transcription of activity-dependent genes. Remarkably, in cortical neurons, silencing of Gtf3c5 mimicked the effects of chronic depolarization, inducing a dramatic increase of both dendritic length and branching. These findings reveal a novel and essential regulatory function of both SINEs and TFIIIC in mediating gene relocation and transcription. They also suggest that TFIIIC may regulate the rearrangement of nuclear architecture, allowing the coordinated expression of activity-dependent neuronal genes. PMID:23966877

Biomechanical evaluation of heel elevation on load transfer — experimental measurement and finite element analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luximon, Yan; Luximon, Ameersing; Yu, Jia; Zhang, Ming

2012-02-01

In spite of ill-effects of high heel shoes, they are widely used for women. Hence, it is essential to understand the load transfer biomechanics in order to design better fit and comfortable shoes. In this study, both experimental measurement and finite element analysis were used to evaluate the biomechanical effects of heel height on foot load transfer. A controlled experiment was conducted using custom-designed platforms. Under different weight-bearing conditions, peak plantar pressure, contact area and center of pressure were analyzed. A three-dimensional finite element foot model was used to simulate the high-heel support and to predict the internal stress distributions and deformations for different heel heights. Results from both experiment and model indicated that heel elevations had significant effects on all variables. When heel elevation increased, the center of pressure shifted from the midfoot region to the forefoot region, the contact area was reduced by 26% from 0 to 10.2 cm heel and the internal stress of foot bones increased. Prediction results also showed that the strain and total tension force of plantar fascia was minimum at 5.1 cm heel condition. This study helps to better understand the biomechanical behavior of foot, and to provide better suggestions for design parameters of high heeled shoes.

Trace metals in fluids lining the respiratory system of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and diffuse lung diseases.

PubMed

Bargagli, Elena; Lavorini, Federico; Pistolesi, Massimo; Rosi, Elisabetta; Prasse, Antje; Rota, Emilia; Voltolini, Luca

2017-07-01

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung disease with a poor prognosis and an undefined etiopathogenesis. Oxidative stress contributes to alveolar injury and fibrosis development and, because transition metals are essential to the functioning of most proteins involved in redox reactions, a better knowledge of metal concentrations and metabolism in the respiratory system of IPF patients may provide a valuable complementary approach to prevent and manage a disease which is often misdiagnosed or diagnosed in later stages. The present review summarizes and discusses literature data on the elemental composition of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), induced sputum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) from patients affected by IPF and healthy subjects. Available data are scanty and the lack of consistent methods for the collection and analysis of lung and airways lining fluids makes it difficult to compare the results of different studies. However, the elemental composition of BAL samples from IPF patients seems to have a specific profile that can be distinguished from that of patients with other interstitial lung diseases (ILD) or control subjects. Suggestions are given towards standard sampling and analytical procedures of BAL samples, in the aim to assess typical element concentration patterns and their potential role as biomarkers of IPF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Identification of a Conserved Non-Protein-Coding Genomic Element that Plays an Essential Role in Alphabaculovirus Pathogenesis

PubMed Central

Kikhno, Irina

2014-01-01

Highly homologous sequences 154–157 bp in length grouped under the name of “conserved non-protein-coding element” (CNE) were revealed in all of the sequenced genomes of baculoviruses belonging to the genus Alphabaculovirus. A CNE alignment led to the detection of a set of highly conserved nucleotide clusters that occupy strictly conserved positions in the CNE sequence. The significant length of the CNE and conservation of both its length and cluster architecture were identified as a combination of characteristics that make this CNE different from known viral non-coding functional sequences. The essential role of the CNE in the Alphabaculovirus life cycle was demonstrated through the use of a CNE-knockout Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) bacmid. It was shown that the essential function of the CNE was not mediated by the presumed expression activities of the protein- and non-protein-coding genes that overlap the AcMNPV CNE. On the basis of the presented data, the AcMNPV CNE was categorized as a complex-structured, polyfunctional genomic element involved in an essential DNA transaction that is associated with an undefined function of the baculovirus genome. PMID:24740153

Rational approach for assumed stress finite elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pian, T. H. H.; Sumihara, K.

1984-01-01

A new method for the formulation of hybrid elements by the Hellinger-Reissner principle is established by expanding the essential terms of the assumed stresses as complete polynomials in the natural coordinates of the element. The equilibrium conditions are imposed in a variational sense through the internal displacements which are also expanded in the natural co-ordinates. The resulting element possesses all the ideal qualities, i.e. it is invariant, it is less sensitive to geometric distortion, it contains a minimum number of stress parameters and it provides accurate stress calculations. For the formulation of a 4-node plane stress element, a small perturbation method is used to determine the equilibrium constraint equations. The element has been proved to be always rank sufficient.

The Role of Intermetal Competition and Mis-Metalation in Metal Toxicity.

PubMed

Barwinska-Sendra, Anna; Waldron, Kevin J

2017-01-01

The metals manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc are essential for almost all bacteria, but their precise metal requirements vary by species, by ecological niche and by growth condition. Bacteria thus must acquire each of these essential elements in sufficient quantity to satisfy their cellular demand, but in excess these same elements are toxic. Metal toxicity has been exploited by humanity for centuries, and by the mammalian immune system for far longer, yet the mechanisms by which these elements cause toxicity to bacteria are not fully understood. There has been a resurgence of interest in metal toxicity in recent decades due to the problematic spread of antibiotic resistance amongst bacterial pathogens, which has led to an increased research effort to understand these toxicity mechanisms at the molecular level. A recurring theme from these studies is the role of intermetal competition in bacterial metal toxicity. In this review, we first survey biological metal usage and introduce some fundamental chemical concepts that are important for understanding bacterial metal usage and toxicity. Then we introduce a simple model by which to understand bacterial metal homeostasis in terms of the distribution of each essential metal ion within cellular 'pools', and dissect how these pools interact with each other and with key proteins of bacterial metal homeostasis. Finally, using a number of key examples from the recent literature, we look at specific metal toxicity mechanisms in model bacteria, demonstrating the role of metal-metal competition in the toxicity mechanisms of diverse essential metals. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Axial-Current Matrix Elements in Light Nuclei from Lattice QCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, M.; Beane, S.; Chang, E.; Davoudi, Z.; Detmold, W.; Orginos, K.; Shanahan, P.; Tiburzi, B.; Wagman, M.; Winter, F.; Nplqcd Collaboration

I present results from the first lattice QCD calculations of axial-current matrix elements in light nuclei, performed by the NPLQCD collaboration. Precision calculations of these matrix elements, and the subsequent extraction of multi-nucleon axial-current operators, are essential in refining theoretical predictions of the proton-proton fusion cross section, neutrino-nucleus cross sections and $\\beta\\beta$-decay rates of nuclei. In addition, they are expected to shed light on the phenomenological quenching of $g_A$ that is required in nuclear many-body calculations.

Tudor domain containing 12 (TDRD12) is essential for secondary PIWI interacting RNA biogenesis in mice.

PubMed

Pandey, Radha Raman; Tokuzawa, Yoshimi; Yang, Zhaolin; Hayashi, Eri; Ichisaka, Tomoko; Kajita, Shimpei; Asano, Yuka; Kunieda, Tetsuo; Sachidanandam, Ravi; Chuma, Shinichiro; Yamanaka, Shinya; Pillai, Ramesh S

2013-10-08

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are gonad-specific small RNAs that provide defense against transposable genetic elements called transposons. Our knowledge of piRNA biogenesis is sketchy, partly due to an incomplete inventory of the factors involved. Here, we identify Tudor domain-containing 12 (TDRD12; also known as ECAT8) as a unique piRNA biogenesis factor in mice. TDRD12 is detected in complexes containing Piwi protein MILI (PIWIL2), its associated primary piRNAs, and TDRD1, all of which are already implicated in secondary piRNA biogenesis. Male mice carrying either a nonsense point mutation (reproductive mutant 23 or repro23 mice) or a targeted deletion in the Tdrd12 locus are infertile and derepress retrotransposons. We find that TDRD12 is dispensable for primary piRNA biogenesis but essential for production of secondary piRNAs that enter Piwi protein MIWI2 (PIWIL4). Cell-culture studies with the insect ortholog of TDRD12 suggest a role for the multidomain protein in mediating complex formation with other participants during secondary piRNA biogenesis.

Involvement of Antizyme Characterized from the Small Abalone Haliotis diversicolor in Gonadal Development.

PubMed

Li, Wei-Dong; Huang, Min; Lü, Wen-Gang; Chen, Xiao; Shen, Ming-Hui; Li, Xiang-Min; Wang, Rong-Xia; Ke, Cai-Huan

2015-01-01

The small abalone Haliotis diversicolor is an economically important mollusk that is widely cultivated in Southern China. Gonad precocity may affect the aquaculture of small abalone. Polyamines, which are small cationic molecules essential for cellular proliferation, may affect gonadal development. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and antizyme (AZ) are essential elements of a feedback circuit that regulates cellular polyamines. This paper presents the molecular cloning and characterization of AZ from small abalone. Sequence analysis showed that the cDNA sequence of H. diversicolor AZ (HdiODCAZ) consisted of two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) and conformed to the +1 frameshift property of the frame. Thin Layer chromatography (TLC) analysis suggested that the expressed protein encoded by +1 ORF2 was the functional AZ that targets ODC to 26S proteasome degradation. The result demonstrated that the expression level of AZ was higher than that of ODC in the ovary of small abalone. In addition, the expression profiles of ODC and AZ at the different development stages of the ovary indicated that these two genes might be involved in the gonadal development of small abalone.

Involvement of Antizyme Characterized from the Small Abalone Haliotis diversicolor in Gonadal Development

PubMed Central

Lü, Wen-Gang; Chen, Xiao; Shen, Ming-Hui; Li, Xiang-Min; Wang, Rong-Xia; Ke, Cai-Huan

2015-01-01

The small abalone Haliotis diversicolor is an economically important mollusk that is widely cultivated in Southern China. Gonad precocity may affect the aquaculture of small abalone. Polyamines, which are small cationic molecules essential for cellular proliferation, may affect gonadal development. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and antizyme (AZ) are essential elements of a feedback circuit that regulates cellular polyamines. This paper presents the molecular cloning and characterization of AZ from small abalone. Sequence analysis showed that the cDNA sequence of H. diversicolor AZ (HdiODCAZ) consisted of two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) and conformed to the +1 frameshift property of the frame. Thin Layer chromatography (TLC) analysis suggested that the expressed protein encoded by +1 ORF2 was the functional AZ that targets ODC to 26S proteasome degradation. The result demonstrated that the expression level of AZ was higher than that of ODC in the ovary of small abalone. In addition, the expression profiles of ODC and AZ at the different development stages of the ovary indicated that these two genes might be involved in the gonadal development of small abalone. PMID:26313647

Structure of the Cmr2 Subunit of the CRISPR-Cas RNA Silencing Complex

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cocozaki, Alexis I.; Ramia, Nancy F.; Shao, Yaming

Cmr2 is the largest and an essential subunit of a CRISPR RNA-Cas protein complex (the Cmr complex) that cleaves foreign RNA to protect prokaryotes from invading genetic elements. Cmr2 is thought to be the catalytic subunit of the effector complex because of its N-terminal HD nuclease domain. Here, however, we report that the HD domain of Cmr2 is not required for cleavage by the complex in vitro. The 2.3 {angstrom} crystal structure of Pyrococcus furiosus Cmr2 (lacking the HD domain) reveals two adenylyl cyclase-like and two {alpha}-helical domains. The adenylyl cyclase-like domains are arranged as in homodimeric adenylyl cyclases andmore » bind ADP and divalent metals. However, mutagenesis studies show that the metal- and ADP-coordinating residues of Cmr2 are also not critical for cleavage by the complex. Our findings suggest that another component provides the catalytic function and that the essential role by Cmr2 does not require the identified ADP- or metal-binding or HD domains in vitro.« less

Terminal structures of West Nile virus genomic RNA and their interactions with viral NS5 protein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong Hongping; Zhang Bo; Shi Peiyong

2008-11-10

Genome cyclization is essential for flavivirus replication. We used RNases to probe the structures formed by the 5'-terminal 190 nucleotides and the 3'-terminal 111 nucleotides of the West Nile virus (WNV) genomic RNA. When analyzed individually, the two RNAs adopt stem-loop structures as predicted by the thermodynamic-folding program. However, when mixed together, the two RNAs form a duplex that is mediated through base-pairings of two sets of RNA elements (5'CS/3'CSI and 5'UAR/3'UAR). Formation of the RNA duplex facilitates a conformational change that leaves the 3'-terminal nucleotides of the genome (position - 8 to - 16) to be single-stranded. Viral NS5more » binds specifically to the 5'-terminal stem-loop (SL1) of the genomic RNA. The 5'SL1 RNA structure is essential for WNV replication. The study has provided further evidence to suggest that flavivirus genome cyclization and NS5/5'SL1 RNA interaction facilitate NS5 binding to the 3' end of the genome for the initiation of viral minus-strand RNA synthesis.« less

A conserved MCM single-stranded DNA binding element is essential for replication initiation.

PubMed

Froelich, Clifford A; Kang, Sukhyun; Epling, Leslie B; Bell, Stephen P; Enemark, Eric J

2014-04-01

The ring-shaped MCM helicase is essential to all phases of DNA replication. The complex loads at replication origins as an inactive double-hexamer encircling duplex DNA. Helicase activation converts this species to two active single hexamers that encircle single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The molecular details of MCM DNA interactions during these events are unknown. We determined the crystal structure of the Pyrococcus furiosus MCM N-terminal domain hexamer bound to ssDNA and define a conserved MCM-ssDNA binding motif (MSSB). Intriguingly, ssDNA binds the MCM ring interior perpendicular to the central channel with defined polarity. In eukaryotes, the MSSB is conserved in several Mcm2-7 subunits, and MSSB mutant combinations in S. cerevisiae Mcm2-7 are not viable. Mutant Mcm2-7 complexes assemble and are recruited to replication origins, but are defective in helicase loading and activation. Our findings identify an important MCM-ssDNA interaction and suggest it functions during helicase activation to select the strand for translocation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01993.001.

A conserved MCM single-stranded DNA binding element is essential for replication initiation

PubMed Central

Froelich, Clifford A; Kang, Sukhyun; Epling, Leslie B; Bell, Stephen P; Enemark, Eric J

2014-01-01

The ring-shaped MCM helicase is essential to all phases of DNA replication. The complex loads at replication origins as an inactive double-hexamer encircling duplex DNA. Helicase activation converts this species to two active single hexamers that encircle single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The molecular details of MCM DNA interactions during these events are unknown. We determined the crystal structure of the Pyrococcus furiosus MCM N-terminal domain hexamer bound to ssDNA and define a conserved MCM-ssDNA binding motif (MSSB). Intriguingly, ssDNA binds the MCM ring interior perpendicular to the central channel with defined polarity. In eukaryotes, the MSSB is conserved in several Mcm2-7 subunits, and MSSB mutant combinations in S. cerevisiae Mcm2-7 are not viable. Mutant Mcm2-7 complexes assemble and are recruited to replication origins, but are defective in helicase loading and activation. Our findings identify an important MCM-ssDNA interaction and suggest it functions during helicase activation to select the strand for translocation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01993.001 PMID:24692448

Using narrative text and coded data to develop hazard scenarios for occupational injury interventions

PubMed Central

Lincoln, A; Sorock, G; Courtney, T; Wellman, H; Smith, G; Amoroso, P

2004-01-01

Objective: To determine whether narrative text in safety reports contains sufficient information regarding contributing factors and precipitating mechanisms to prioritize occupational back injury prevention strategies. Design, setting, subjects, and main outcome measures: Nine essential data elements were identified in narratives and coded sections of safety reports for each of 94 cases of back injuries to United States Army truck drivers reported to the United States Army Safety Center between 1987 and 1997. The essential elements of each case were used to reconstruct standardized event sequences. A taxonomy of the event sequences was then developed to identify common hazard scenarios and opportunities for primary interventions. Results: Coded data typically only identified five data elements (broad activity, task, event/exposure, nature of injury, and outcomes) while narratives provided additional elements (contributing factor, precipitating mechanism, primary source) essential for developing our taxonomy. Three hazard scenarios were associated with back injuries among Army truck drivers accounting for 83% of cases: struck by/against events during motor vehicle crashes; falls resulting from slips/trips or loss of balance; and overexertion from lifting activities. Conclusions: Coded data from safety investigations lacked sufficient information to thoroughly characterize the injury event. However, the combination of existing narrative text (similar to that collected by many injury surveillance systems) and coded data enabled us to develop a more complete taxonomy of injury event characteristics and identify common hazard scenarios. This study demonstrates that narrative text can provide the additional information on contributing factors and precipitating mechanisms needed to target prevention strategies. PMID:15314055

Segmental expression of Hoxb2 in r4 requires two separate sites that integrate cooperative interactions between Prep1, Pbx and Hox proteins.

PubMed

Ferretti, E; Marshall, H; Pöpperl, H; Maconochie, M; Krumlauf, R; Blasi, F

2000-01-01

Direct auto- and cross-regulatory interactions between Hox genes serve to establish and maintain segmentally restricted patterns in the developing hindbrain. Rhombomere r4-specific expression of both Hoxb1 and Hoxb2 depends upon bipartite cis Hox response elements for the group 1 paralogous proteins, Hoxal and Hoxbl. The DNA-binding ability and selectivity of these proteins depend upon the formation of specific heterodimeric complexes with members of the PBC homeodomain protein family (Pbx genes). The r4 enhancers from Hoxb1 and Hoxb2 have the same activity, but differ with respect to the number and organisation of bipartite Pbx/Hox (PH) sites required, suggesting the intervention of other components/sequences. We report here that another family of homeodomain proteins (TALE, Three-Amino acids-Loop-Extension: Prep1, Meis, HTH), capable of dimerizing with Pbx/EXD, is involved in the mechanisms of r4-restricted expression. We show that: (1) the r4-specific Hoxb1 and Hoxb2 enhancers are complex elements containing separate PH and Prep/Meis (PM) sites; (2) the PM site of the Hoxb2, but not Hoxb1, enhancer is essential in vivo for r4 expression and also influences other sites of expression; (3) both PM and PH sites are required for in vitro binding of Prepl-Pbx and formation and binding of a ternary Hoxbl-Pbxla (or 1b)-Prepl complex. (4) A similar ternary association forms in nuclear extracts from embryonal P19 cells, but only upon retinoic acid induction. This requires synthesis of Hoxbl and also contains Pbx with either Prepl or Meisl. Together these findings highlight the fact that PM sites are found in close proximity to bipartite PH motifs in several Hox responsive elements shown to be important in vivo and that such sites play an essential role in potentiating regulatory activity in combination with the PH motifs.

Comparative study of the nutritional composition and toxic elements of farmed and wild Chanodichthys mongolicus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Haifeng; Cheng, Xiaofei; Geng, Longwu; Tang, Shizhan; Tong, Guangxiang; Xu, Wei

2017-07-01

Information of the difference in quality between farmed and wild fish is central to better ensuring fish products produced in aquaculture meet regulatory and consumer requirements. Proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and toxic elements contents of farmed and wild Chanodichthys mongolicus were established and compared. Significantly higher crude protein content while lower moisture content in farmed fish compared to wild fish were observed ( P<0.05). The percentages of total amino acids (TAA), total essential amino acids (TEAA), total non-essential amino acids (TNEAA) and total delicious amino acids (TDAA) in farmed fish were all significantly higher than those in the wild equivalent ( P<0.05). Compared to the FAO/WHO recommended reference values, the ratios of TEAA/TAA (39.84%-40.33%) were comparable to 40% and TEAA / TNEAA (66.22%-67.60%) were above 60%. Fatty acid profiles in both farmed and wild C. mongolicus were dominated by monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), with farmed fish contained much more MUFA content compared to wild counterpart ( P<0.05). Notably, wild fish exhibited significantly higher levels of total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than farmed fish ( P<0.05). The EPA (C20:5n3) and linoleic acid (C18:2n6) were the predominant PUFA in wild and farmed C. mongolicus, respectively. Moreover, farmed fish displayed an overall lower toxic element levels (As, Cd, Pb and Hg) in comparison with wild fish, and both were far lower than the established limit standard. In conclusion, our results suggest that the nutritional quality of farmed C. mongolicus was inferior to their wild counterpart with respect to fatty acids nutrition, and therefore further studies should focus on the improving C. mongolicus diet in order to enhance the overall nutritional composition.

Method Of Dispensing Microdoses Of A Aqueous Solutions Of S Ubstances Onto A Carrier And A Device For Carrying Out Said Method

DOEpatents

Ershov, Gennady Moiseevich; Kirillov, Eugenii Vladislavovich; Mirzabekov, Andrei Darievich

1999-10-05

A method and a device for dispensing microdoses of aqueous solutions are provided, whereby the substance is transferred by the free surface end of a rodlike transferring element; the temperature of the transferring element is maintained at essentially the dew point of the ambient air during the transfer. The device may comprise a plate-like base to which are affixed a plurality of rods; the unfixed butt ends of the rods are coplanar. The device further comprises a means for maintaining the temperature of the unfixed butt ends of the rods essentially equal to the dew point of the ambient air during transfer of the aqueous substance

Nutritional quality of grains of sorghum cultivar grown under different levels of micronutrients fertilization.

PubMed

Ahmed, Suha O; Abdalla, Adel Wahab H; Inoue, Tomoe; Ping, Ann; Babiker, Elfadil E

2014-09-15

A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different levels of micronutrients (0, 2, 4, and 8 g/5 kg soil) and a fixed amount (6 g/5 kg soil) of macronutrients fertilizer on the antinutrients content, protein content and digestibility, total and extractable macro- and micro-elements, amino acid content and score of grains of sorghum cultivar (Gadambalia) grown for two consecutive season. Protein content and essential amino acids composition of sorghum grains significantly (P⩽0.05) increased with micronutrients level for both seasons. Tannins and phytate contents dropped significantly (P⩽0.05) with a concomitant increase in protein digestibility, macro- and micro-elements extractability for both seasons and treatments. The content of macro- and micro-elements of the grains increased with micronutrients level during both seasons. The essential amino acids scores of the grains were significantly (P⩽0.05) increased for both seasons and treatments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical recording in functional polymer nanocomposites by multi-beam interference holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuk, Dmitrij; Burunkova, Julia; Kalabin, Viacheslav; Csarnovics, Istvan; Kokenyesi, Sandor

2017-05-01

Our investigations relate to the development of new polymer nanocomposite materials and technologies for fabrication of photonic elements like gratings, integrated elements, photonic crystals. The goal of the present work was the development and application of the multi-beam interference method for one step, direct formation of 1-, 2- or even 3D photonic structures in functional acrylate nanocomposites, which contain SiO2 and Au nanoparticles and which are sensitized to blue and green laser illumination. The presence of gold nanoparticles and possibility to excite plasmonic effects can essentially influence the polymerization processes and the spatial redistribution of nanoparticles in the nanocomposite during the recording. This way surface and volume phase reliefs can be recorded. It is essential, that no additional treatments of the material after the recording are necessary and the elements possess high transparency, are stable after some relaxation time. New functionalities can be provided to the recorded structures if luminescent materials are added to such materials.

Building equity in: strategies for integrating equity into modelling for a 1.5°C world.

PubMed

Sonja, Klinsky; Harald, Winkler

2018-05-13

Emission pathways consistent with limiting temperature increase to 1.5°C raise pressing questions from an equity perspective. These pathways would limit impacts and benefit vulnerable communities but also present trade-offs that could increase inequality. Meanwhile, rapid mitigation could exacerbate political debates in which equity has played a central role. In this paper, we first develop a set of elements we suggest are essential for evaluating the equity implications of policy actions consistent with 1.5°C. These elements include (i) assess climate impacts, adaptation, loss and damage; (ii) be sensitive to context; (iii) compare costs of mitigation and adaptation policy action; (iv) incorporate human development and poverty; (v) integrate inequality dynamics; and (vi) be clear about normative assumptions and responsive to users. We then assess the ability of current modelling practices to address each element, focusing on global integrated assessment models augmented by national modelling and scenarios. We find current practices face serious limitations across all six dimensions although the severity of these varies. Finally, based on our assessment we identify strategies that may be best suited for enabling us to generate insights into each of the six elements in the context of assessing pathways for a 1.5°C world.This article is part of the theme issue 'The Paris Agreement: understanding the physical and social challenges for a warming world of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Light and abiotic stresses regulate the expression of GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase and levels of ascorbic acid in two kiwifruit genotypes via light-responsive and stress-inducible cis-elements in their promoters.

PubMed

Li, Juan; Liang, Dong; Li, Mingjun; Ma, Fengwang

2013-09-01

Ascorbic acid (AsA) plays an essential role in plants by protecting cells against oxidative damage. GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP) is the first committed gene for AsA synthesis. Our research examined AsA levels, regulation of GGP gene expression, and how these are related to abiotic stresses in two species of Actinidia (kiwifruit). When leaves were subjected to continuous darkness or light, ABA or MeJA, heat, or a hypoxic environment, we found some correlation between the relative levels of GGP mRNA and AsA concentrations. In transformed tobacco plants, activity of the GGP promoter was induced by all of these treatments. However, the degree of inducibility in the two kiwifruit species differed among the GGP promoter deletions. We deduced that the G-box motif, a light-responsive element, may have an important function in regulating GGP transcripts under various light conditions in both A. deliciosa and A. eriantha. Other elements such as ABRE, the CGTCA motif, and HSE might also control the promoter activities of GGP in kiwifruit. Altogether, these data suggest that GGP expression in the two kiwifruit species is regulated by light or abiotic stress via the relative cis-elements in their promoters. Furthermore, GGP has a critical role in modulating AsA concentrations in kiwifruit species under abiotic stresses.

Cellular differentiation in response to nutrient availability: The repressor of meiosis, Rme1p, positively regulates invasive growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed Central

van Dyk, Dewald; Hansson, Guy; Pretorius, Isak S; Bauer, Florian F

2003-01-01

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the transition from a nutrient-rich to a nutrient-limited growth medium typically leads to the implementation of a cellular adaptation program that results in invasive growth and/or the formation of pseudohyphae. Complete depletion of essential nutrients, on the other hand, leads either to entry into a nonbudding, metabolically quiescent state referred to as G0 in haploid strains or to meiosis and sporulation in diploids. Entry into meiosis is repressed by the transcriptional regulator Rme1p, a zinc-finger-containing DNA-binding protein. In this article, we show that Rme1p positively regulates invasive growth and starch metabolism in both haploid and diploid strains by directly modifying the transcription of the FLO11 (also known as MUC1) and STA2 genes, which encode a cell wall-associated protein essential for invasive growth and a starch-degrading glucoamylase, respectively. Genetic evidence suggests that Rme1p functions independently of identified signaling modules that regulate invasive growth and of other transcription factors that regulate FLO11 and that the activation of FLO11 is dependent on the presence of a promoter sequence that shows significant homology to identified Rme1p response elements (RREs). The data suggest that Rme1p functions as a central switch between different cellular differentiation pathways. PMID:14668363

Investigation of Essential Element Distribution in the Equine Metacarpophalangeal Joint using a Synchrotron Radiation Micro X-Ray Fluorescence Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaabar, Wejdan; Gundogdu, O.; Tzaphlidou, M.; Janousch, M.; Attenburrow, D.; Bradley, D. A.

2008-05-01

In articular cartilage, Ca, P, K and S are among some of the well known co-factors of the metalloproteinases enzymatic family, the latter playing a pivotal role in the growth and degeneration of the collagenous bone-cartilage interface of articulating joints. Current study forms part of a larger investigation concerning the distribution of these and other key elements in such media. For the purpose of evaluating these low atomic number elements (Z⩽20), use was made of the capabilities of the LUCIA Station, located at the synchrotron facility of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Using an incident radiation energy of 4.06 keV, a synchrotron radiation micro x-ray fluorescence (SR-μXRF) technique was applied in examining the distribution of the essential elements Ca, P, K and S in the bone-cartilage interface of both healthy and diseased (osteoarthritic) areas of an equine metacarpophalangeal joint. The SR-μXRF mappings and line profile patterns have revealed remarkable changes in both the pattern and absolute distributions of these elements, agreeing with the findings of others. The elemental presence shown in the individual area scans encompassing the lesion each reflect the visibly abraded outer surface of the cartilage and change in shape of the bone surface. One of the area scans for the bone-cartilage interface shows a marked change in both the pattern and absolute elemental presence for all three elements compared to that observed at two other scan sites. The observation of change in bone cartilage composition around the surface of the articulating joint is thought to be novel, the variation being almost certainly due to the differing weight-bearing role of the subchondral bone at each location.

Investigation of Essential Element Distribution in the Equine Metacarpophalangeal Joint using a Synchrotron Radiation Micro X-Ray Fluorescence Technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaabar, Wejdan; Gundogdu, O.; Attenburrow, D.

2008-05-20

In articular cartilage, Ca, P, K and S are among some of the well known co-factors of the metalloproteinases enzymatic family, the latter playing a pivotal role in the growth and degeneration of the collagenous bone-cartilage interface of articulating joints. Current study forms part of a larger investigation concerning the distribution of these and other key elements in such media. For the purpose of evaluating these low atomic number elements (Z{<=}20), use was made of the capabilities of the LUCIA Station, located at the synchrotron facility of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Using an incident radiation energy of 4.06 keV,more » a synchrotron radiation micro x-ray fluorescence (SR-{mu}XRF) technique was applied in examining the distribution of the essential elements Ca, P, K and S in the bone-cartilage interface of both healthy and diseased (osteoarthritic) areas of an equine metacarpophalangeal joint. The SR-{mu}XRF mappings and line profile patterns have revealed remarkable changes in both the pattern and absolute distributions of these elements, agreeing with the findings of others. The elemental presence shown in the individual area scans encompassing the lesion each reflect the visibly abraded outer surface of the cartilage and change in shape of the bone surface. One of the area scans for the bone-cartilage interface shows a marked change in both the pattern and absolute elemental presence for all three elements compared to that observed at two other scan sites. The observation of change in bone cartilage composition around the surface of the articulating joint is thought to be novel, the variation being almost certainly due to the differing weight-bearing role of the subchondral bone at each locati0008.« less

Research on Curriculum Plan and Learning Achievement for Aromatherapy with the Concept of the Chinese Five Elements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Pei-Ching

2012-01-01

In Taiwan, people are getting more aware of beauty treatments and the concept of health care. This study hopes to bring all relevant concepts such as Aromatherapy, essential scented oils, medical foods, human meridians, Chinese five elements therapy, and beauty business management into the curriculum design, and seriously considered many factors…

Is an Apple Magnetic: Magnetic Response of Everyday Materials Supporting Views about the Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laumann, Daniel

2017-01-01

Magnetism and its various applications are essential for our daily life and for many technological developments. The term "magnetism" is almost always used as a synonym for ferromagnetism. However, the magnetic properties of the elements of the periodic table indicate that the vast majority of elements are not ferromagnetic, but rather,…

Semiconductor composition containing iron, dysprosium, and terbium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pooser, Raphael C.; Lawrie, Benjamin J.; Baddorf, Arthur P.

An amorphous semiconductor composition includes 1 to 70 atomic percent iron, 15 to 65 atomic percent dysprosium, 15 to 35 atomic percent terbium, balance X, wherein X is at least one of an oxidizing element and a reducing element. The composition has an essentially amorphous microstructure, an optical transmittance of at least 50% in at least the visible spectrum and semiconductor electrical properties.

On some theoretical and practical aspects of multigrid methods. [to solve finite element systems from elliptic equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicolaides, R. A.

1979-01-01

A description and explanation of a simple multigrid algorithm for solving finite element systems is given. Numerical results for an implementation are reported for a number of elliptic equations, including cases with singular coefficients and indefinite equations. The method shows the high efficiency, essentially independent of the grid spacing, predicted by the theory.

Health Workforce Planning

PubMed Central

Al-Sawai, Abdulaziz; Al-Shishtawy, Moeness M.

2015-01-01

In most countries, the lack of explicit health workforce planning has resulted in imbalances that threaten the capacity of healthcare systems to attain their objectives. This has directed attention towards the prospect of developing healthcare systems that are more responsive to the needs and expectations of the population by providing health planners with a systematic method to effectively manage human resources in this sector. This review analyses various approaches to health workforce planning and presents the Six-Step Methodology to Integrated Workforce Planning which highlights essential elements in workforce planning to ensure the quality of services. The purpose, scope and ownership of the approach is defined. Furthermore, developing an action plan for managing a health workforce is emphasised and a reviewing and monitoring process to guide corrective actions is suggested. PMID:25685381

Biogeochemical evidence for subsurface hydrocarbon occurrence, Recluse oil field, Wyoming; preliminary results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalziel, Mary C.; Donovan, Terrence J.

1980-01-01

Anomalously high manganese-to-iron ratios occurring in pine needles and sage leaves over the Recluse oil field, Wyoming, suggest effects of petroleum microseepage on the plants. This conclusion is supported by iron and manganese concentrations in soils and carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in rock samples. Seeping hydrocarbons provided reducing conditions sufficient to enable divalent iron and manganese to be organically complexed or adsorbed on solids in the soils. These bound or adsorped elements in the divalent state are essential to plants, and the plants readily assimilate them. The magnitude of the plant anomalies, combined with the supportive isotopic and chemical evidence confirming petroleum leakage, makes a strong case for the use of plants as a biogeochemical prospecting tool.

Strong coupling of diffraction coupled plasmons and optical waveguide modes in gold stripe-dielectric nanostructures at telecom wavelengths.

PubMed

Thomas, Philip A; Auton, Gregory H; Kundys, Dmytro; Grigorenko, Alexander N; Kravets, Vasyl G

2017-03-24

We propose a hybrid plasmonic device consisting of a planar dielectric waveguide covering a gold nanostripe array fabricated on a gold film and investigate its guiding properties at telecom wavelengths. The fundamental modes of a hybrid device and their dependence on the key geometric parameters are studied. A communication length of 250 μm was achieved for both the TM and TE guided modes at telecom wavelengths. Due to the difference between the TM and TE light propagation associated with the diffractive plasmon excitation, our waveguides provide polarization separation. Our results suggest a practical way of fabricating metal-nanostripes-dielectric waveguides that can be used as essential elements in optoelectronic circuits.

Strong coupling of diffraction coupled plasmons and optical waveguide modes in gold stripe-dielectric nanostructures at telecom wavelengths

PubMed Central

Thomas, Philip A.; Auton, Gregory H.; Kundys, Dmytro; Grigorenko, Alexander N.; Kravets, Vasyl G.

2017-01-01

We propose a hybrid plasmonic device consisting of a planar dielectric waveguide covering a gold nanostripe array fabricated on a gold film and investigate its guiding properties at telecom wavelengths. The fundamental modes of a hybrid device and their dependence on the key geometric parameters are studied. A communication length of 250 μm was achieved for both the TM and TE guided modes at telecom wavelengths. Due to the difference between the TM and TE light propagation associated with the diffractive plasmon excitation, our waveguides provide polarization separation. Our results suggest a practical way of fabricating metal-nanostripes-dielectric waveguides that can be used as essential elements in optoelectronic circuits. PMID:28338060

Clarifying the dominant sources and mechanisms of cirrus cloud formation.

PubMed

Cziczo, Daniel J; Froyd, Karl D; Hoose, Corinna; Jensen, Eric J; Diao, Minghui; Zondlo, Mark A; Smith, Jessica B; Twohy, Cynthia H; Murphy, Daniel M

2013-06-14

Formation of cirrus clouds depends on the availability of ice nuclei to begin condensation of atmospheric water vapor. Although it is known that only a small fraction of atmospheric aerosols are efficient ice nuclei, the critical ingredients that make those aerosols so effective have not been established. We have determined in situ the composition of the residual particles within cirrus crystals after the ice was sublimated. Our results demonstrate that mineral dust and metallic particles are the dominant source of residual particles, whereas sulfate and organic particles are underrepresented, and elemental carbon and biological materials are essentially absent. Further, composition analysis combined with relative humidity measurements suggests that heterogeneous freezing was the dominant formation mechanism of these clouds.

What do we know about the cardiac benefits of exercise?

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Liu, Xiaojun; Rosenzweig, Anthony

2015-08-01

Exercise has long been considered an essential element for sustaining cardiovascular health. A vast literature of clinical studies suggests that exercise serves as an effective intervention for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, although the optimal nature, intensity, and duration of exercise for maximizing these cardiovascular benefits remain unclear. On a molecular level, exercise induces physiologic growth of the heart primarily by driving cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, notably through the interconnected IGF-1-PI3K-AKT1 and C/EBPβ-CITED4 pathways. Here, we explore the range of clinical evidence supporting the cardiovascular benefits of exercise and outline the molecular pathways that play major roles in regulating these protective effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alteration of submarine volcanic rocks in oxygenated Archean oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohmoto, H.; Bevacqua, D.; Watanabe, Y.

2009-12-01

Most submarine volcanic rocks, including basalts in diverging plate boundaries and andesites/dacites in converging plate boundaries, have been altered by low-temperature seawater and/or hydrothermal fluids (up to ~400°C) under deep oceans; the hydrothermal fluids evolved from shallow/deep circulations of seawater through the underlying hot igneous rocks. Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (VMSDs) and banded iron formations (BIFs) were formed by mixing of submarine hydrothermal fluids with local seawater. Therefore, the behaviors of various elements, especially of redox-sensitive elements, in altered submarine volcanic rocks, VMSDs and BIFs can be used to decipher the chemical evolution of the oceans and atmosphere. We have investigated the mineralogy and geochemistry of >500 samples of basalts from a 260m-long drill core section of Hole #1 of the Archean Biosphere Drilling Project (ABDP #1) in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. The core section is comprised of ~160 m thick Marble Bar Chert/Jasper Unit (3.46 Ga) and underlying, inter-bedded, and overlying submarine basalts. Losses/gains of 65 elements were quantitatively evaluated on the basis of their concentration ratios against the least mobile elements (Ti, Zr and Nb). We have recognized that mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of many of these samples are essentially the same as those of hydrothermally-altered modern submarine basalts and also those of altered volcanic rocks that underlie Phanerozoic VMSDs. The similarities include, but are not restricted to: (1) the alteration mineralogy (chlorite ± sericite ± pyrophyllite ± carbonates ± hematite ± pyrite ± rutile); (2) the characteristics of whole-rock δ18O and δ34S values; (3) the ranges of depletion and enrichment of Si, Al, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Fe, Mn, and P; (4) the enrichment of Ba (as sulfate); (5) the increases in Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios; (6) the enrichment of U; (7) the depletion of Cr; and (8) the negative Ce anomalies. Literature data on other submarine volcanic rocks in Pilbara, Australia (~3.55 Ga to ~3.2 Ga in age) and the ~2.9 - 2.7 Ga submarine volcanic rocks in Ontario, Canada indicate that many of these rocks exhibit the same characteristics (1)-(8). Characteristics (4) was probably caused by the mixing of Ba-rich hydrothermal fluids and SO42--rich seawater; (5) and the abundance of hematite by reactions between ferrous-rich minerals and O2-rich seawater; (6) by reactions between ferrous-rich minerals and U-rich seawater; (7) by leaching of Cr from rocks by O2-rich seawater; and (8) by reactions with Ce-depleted oxidized seawater. These data suggest that the chemistry of ocean water, including the concentrations of major elements and many redox-sensitive elements/compounds (e.g., U, Ce, SO42-, and O2), has been basically the same since at least ~3.5 Ga, except for the higher ∑CO2 contents in Archean oceans. O2 contents of deep (>200 m) oceans would become zero when the atmospheric pO2 decreased to less than ~50% of the present level. Therefore, geochemical data on the Archean rocks further suggest that the atmospheric pO2 level, the fluxes of bio-essential elements to the oceans (e.g., K, PO43-, NO3-, Ba, Mo, W), and the biological productivity in the oceans, have been basically the same since at least ~3.5 Ga.

Role of Coordination and Chelation in Utilization of Nutritionally Essential Trace Elements.

DTIC Science & Technology

BIOCHEMISTRY, *TRANSITION METALS), (*CHELATE COMPOUNDS, BIOCHEMISTRY), (*DIALYSIS, CHEMICAL ANALYSIS), NUTRITION , IRON, CHROMIUM, PHOSPHATES, AMINO ACIDS, HYDROXIDES, ALCOHOLS, PEPTIDES, MEMBRANES, LIQUID FILTERS

Viral infection upregulates myostatin promoter activity in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

PubMed Central

Chen, Yi-Tien; Lin, Chao-Fen; Chen, Young-Mao; Lo, Chih-En; Chen, Wan-Erh

2017-01-01

Myostatin is a negative regulator of myogenesis and has been suggested to be an important factor in the development of muscle wasting during viral infection. The objective of this study was to characterize the main regulatory element of the grouper myostatin promoter and to study changes in promoter activity due to viral stimulation. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that the E-box E6 is a positive cis-and trans-regulation motif, and an essential binding site for MyoD. In contrast, the E-box E5 is a dominant negative cis-regulatory. The characteristics of grouper myostatin promoter are similar in regulation of muscle growth to that of other species, but mainly through specific regulatory elements. According to these results, we conducted a study to investigate the effect of viral infection on myostatin promoter activity and its regulation. The nervous necrosis virus (NNV) treatment significantly induced myostatin promoter activity. The present study is the first report describing that specific myostatin motifs regulate promoter activity and response to viral infection. PMID:29036192

Viral infection upregulates myostatin promoter activity in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides).

PubMed

Chen, Yi-Tien; Lin, Chao-Fen; Chen, Young-Mao; Lo, Chih-En; Chen, Wan-Erh; Chen, Tzong-Yueh

2017-01-01

Myostatin is a negative regulator of myogenesis and has been suggested to be an important factor in the development of muscle wasting during viral infection. The objective of this study was to characterize the main regulatory element of the grouper myostatin promoter and to study changes in promoter activity due to viral stimulation. In vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that the E-box E6 is a positive cis-and trans-regulation motif, and an essential binding site for MyoD. In contrast, the E-box E5 is a dominant negative cis-regulatory. The characteristics of grouper myostatin promoter are similar in regulation of muscle growth to that of other species, but mainly through specific regulatory elements. According to these results, we conducted a study to investigate the effect of viral infection on myostatin promoter activity and its regulation. The nervous necrosis virus (NNV) treatment significantly induced myostatin promoter activity. The present study is the first report describing that specific myostatin motifs regulate promoter activity and response to viral infection.

Differentiation of Asteroid 4 Vesta: Core Formation by Iron Rain in a Silicate Magma Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiefer, Walter S.; Mittlefehldt, David W.

2017-01-01

Geochemical observations of the eucrite and diogenite meteorites, together with observations made by NASA's Dawn spacecraft while orbiting asteroid 4 Vesta, suggest that Vesta resembles H chondrites in bulk chemical composition, possible with about 25 percent of a CM-chondrite like composition added in. For this model, the core is 15 percent by mass (or 8 percent by volume) of the asteroid, with a composition of 73.7 percent by weight Fe, 16.0 percent by weight S, and 10.3 percent by weight Ni. The abundances of moderately siderophile elements (Ni, Co, Mo, W, and P) in eucrites require that essentially all of the metallic phase in Vesta segregated to form a core prior to eucrite solidification. The combination of the melting phase relationships for the silicate and metal phases, together with the moderately siderophile element concentrations together require that complete melting of the metal phase occurred (temperature is greater than1350 degrees Centigrade), along with substantial (greater than 40 percent) melting of the silicate material. Thus, core formation on Vesta occurs as iron rain sinking through a silicate magma ocean.

Zinc is an essential trace element for spermatogenesis.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Sonoko; Miura, Chiemi; Kikuchi, Kazuya; Celino, Fritzie T; Agusa, Tetsuro; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Miura, Takeshi

2009-06-30

Zinc (Zn) plays important roles in various biological activities but there is little available information regarding its functions in spermatogenesis. In our current study, we further examined the role of Zn during spermatogenesis in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). Human CG (hCG) was injected into the animals to induce spermatogenesis, after which the concentration of Zn in the testis increased in tandem with the progression of spermatogenesis. Staining of testicular cells with a Zn-specific fluorescent probe revealed that Zn accumulates in germ cells, particularly in the mitochondria of spermatogonia and spermatozoa. Using an in vitro testicular organ culture system for the Japanese eel, production of a Zn deficiency by chelation with N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylemethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) caused apoptosis of the germ cells. However, this cell death was rescued by the addition of Zn to the cultures. Furthermore, an induced deficiency of Zn by TPEN chelation was found to inhibit the germ cell proliferation induced by 11-ketotestosterone (KT), a fish specific androgen, 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), the initiator of meiosis in fish, and estradiol-17beta (E2), an inducer of spermatogonial stem-cell renewal. We also investigated the effects of Zn deficiency on sperm motility and observed that TPEN treatment of eel sperm suppressed the rate and duration of their motility but that co-treatment with Zn blocked the effects of TPEN. Our present results thus suggest that Zn is an essential trace element for the maintenance of germ cells, the progression spermatogenesis, and the regulation of sperm motility.

Selenium uptake through cystine transporter mediated by glutathione conjugation.

PubMed

Tobe, Takao; Ueda, Koji; Aoki, Akira; Okamoto, Yoshinori; Kojima, Nakao; Jinno, Hideto

2017-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element and is regarded as a protective agent against cancer. In particular, antioxidant effects of selenoenzymes contribute to cancer prevention. Se can also produce reactive oxygen species and, thereby, exert cancer-selective cytotoxicity. Selenodiglutathione (SDG) is a primary Se metabolite conjugated to two glutathione (GSH) moieties. SDG increases intracellular Se accumulation and is more toxic than selenous acid (H 2 SeO 3 ), but the mechanisms for importing Se compounds into cells are not fully understood. Here, we propose a novel mechanism for importing Se, in the form of SDG. Cellular intake of Se compounds was assessed based on Se accumulation, as detected by ICP-MS. SDG incorporation was decreased in the presence of thiols (GSH, cysteine or their oxidized forms, GSSG and cystine), whereas H 2 SeO 3 uptake was increased by addition of GSH or cysteine. Cellular SDG uptake was decreased by pretreatment with specific inhibitors against gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) or the cystine/glutamate antiporter (system x c - ). Furthermore, siRNA against xCT, which is the light chain component of system x c - , significantly decreased SDG incorporation. These data suggest an involvement of SDG in Se incorporation, with SDG processed at the cell surface by GGT, leading to formation of selenodicysteine which, in turn, is likely to be imported via xCT. Because GGT and xCT are highly expressed in cancer cells, these mechanisms mediated by the cystine transporter might underlie the cancer-selective toxicity of Se. In addition, the system described in our study appears to represent a physiological transport mechanism for the essential element Se.

Effects of increased pCO2 and temperature on trace element (Ag, Cd and Zn) bioaccumulation in the eggs of the common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacoue-Labarthe, T.; Martin, S.; Oberhänsli, F.; Teyssié, J.-L.; Markich, S.; Jeffree, R.; Bustamante, P.

2009-05-01

Cephalopods play a key role in many marine trophic networks and constitute alternative fisheries resources, especially given the ongoing decline in finfish stocks. Along the European coast, the eggs of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis are characterized by an increasing permeability of the eggshell during development, which leads to selective accumulation of essential and non-essential elements in the embryo. Temperature and pH are two critical factors that affect the metabolism of marine organisms in the coastal shallow waters. In this study, we are testing the effects of pH and temperature through a crossed (3×2) laboratory experiment. Seawater pH showed a strong effect on the egg weight and non-significant impact on the hatchlings weight at the end of development implying egg swelling process and embryo growth disturbances. The lower pH of incubation seawater of eggs, the more the hatchlings accumulated 110m Ag in their tissues. The 109Cd CF decreased with increasing pH and 65Zn CF reached the maximal values pH 7.85, independent of temperature. Our results suggest that pH and temperature affected both the permeability properties of the eggshell and the embryo metabolism. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies on the ocean acidification and ocean warming consequences on the metal uptake in marine organisms, stimulating further interest to evaluate the likely ecotoxicological impact of the global change on the early-life stage of the cuttlefish.

Phosphorylated STAT5 directly facilitates parvovirus B19 DNA replication in human erythroid progenitors through interaction with the MCM complex

PubMed Central

Ganaie, Safder S.; Zou, Wei; Xu, Peng; Deng, Xuefeng; Kleiboeker, Steve

2017-01-01

Productive infection of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) exhibits high tropism for burst forming unit erythroid (BFU-E) and colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-E) progenitor cells in human bone marrow and fetal liver. This exclusive restriction of the virus replication to human erythroid progenitor cells is partly due to the intracellular factors that are essential for viral DNA replication, including erythropoietin signaling. Efficient B19V replication also requires hypoxic conditions, which upregulate the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) pathway, and phosphorylated STAT5 is essential for virus replication. In this study, our results revealed direct involvement of STAT5 in B19V DNA replication. Consensus STAT5-binding elements were identified adjacent to the NS1-binding element within the minimal origins of viral DNA replication in the B19V genome. Phosphorylated STAT5 specifically interacted with viral DNA replication origins both in vivo and in vitro, and was actively recruited within the viral DNA replication centers. Notably, STAT5 interacted with minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, suggesting that STAT5 directly facilitates viral DNA replication by recruiting the helicase complex of the cellular DNA replication machinery to viral DNA replication centers. The FDA-approved drug pimozide dephosphorylates STAT5, and it inhibited B19V replication in ex vivo expanded human erythroid progenitors. Our results demonstrated that pimozide could be a promising antiviral drug for treatment of B19V-related diseases. PMID:28459842

Situational awareness within objective structured clinical examination stations in undergraduate medical training - a literature search.

PubMed

Fischer, Markus A; Kennedy, Kieran M; Durning, Steven; Schijven, Marlies P; Ker, Jean; O'Connor, Paul; Doherty, Eva; Kropmans, Thomas J B

2017-12-21

Medical students may not be able to identify the essential elements of situational awareness (SA) necessary for clinical reasoning. Recent studies suggest that students have little insight into cognitive processing and SA in clinical scenarios. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) could be used to assess certain elements of situational awareness. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature with a view to identifying whether levels of SA based on Endsley's model can be assessed utilising OSCEs during undergraduate medical training. A systematic search was performed pertaining to SA and OSCEs, to identify studies published between January 1975 (first paper describing an OSCE) and February 2017, in peer reviewed international journals published in English. PUBMED, EMBASE, PsycINFO Ovid and SCOPUS were searched for papers that described the assessment of SA using OSCEs among undergraduate medical students. Key search terms included "objective structured clinical examination", "objective structured clinical assessment" or "OSCE" and "non-technical skills", "sense-making", "clinical reasoning", "perception", "comprehension", "projection", "situation awareness", "situational awareness" and "situation assessment". Boolean operators (AND, OR) were used as conjunctions to narrow the search strategy, resulting in the limitation of papers relevant to the research interest. Areas of interest were elements of SA that can be assessed by these examinations. The initial search of the literature retrieved 1127 publications. Upon removal of duplicates and papers relating to nursing, paramedical disciplines, pharmacy and veterinary education by title, abstract or full text, 11 articles were eligible for inclusion as related to the assessment of elements of SA in undergraduate medical students. Review of the literature suggests that whole-task OSCEs enable the evaluation of SA associated with clinical reasoning skills. If they address the levels of SA, these OSCEs can provide supportive feedback and strengthen educational measures associated with higher diagnostic accuracy and reasoning abilities. Based on the findings, the early exposure of medical students to SA is recommended, utilising OSCEs to evaluate and facilitate SA in dynamic environments.

Evolution of the Antisense Overlap between Genes for Thyroid Hormone Receptor and Rev-erbα and Characterization of an Exonic G-Rich Element That Regulates Splicing of TRα2 mRNA

PubMed Central

Munroe, Stephen H.; Morales, Christopher H.; Duyck, Tessa H.; Waters, Paul D.

2015-01-01

The α-thyroid hormone receptor gene (TRα) codes for two functionally distinct proteins: TRα1, the α-thyroid hormone receptor; and TRα2, a non-hormone-binding variant. The final exon of TRα2 mRNA overlaps the 3’ end of Rev-erbα mRNA, which encodes another nuclear receptor on the opposite strand of DNA. To understand the evolution of this antisense overlap, we sequenced these genes and mRNAs in the platypus Orthorhynchus anatinus. Despite its strong homology with other mammals, the platypus TRα/Rev-erbα locus lacks elements essential for expression of TRα2. Comparative analysis suggests that alternative splicing of TRα2 mRNA expression evolved in a stepwise fashion before the divergence of eutherian and marsupial mammals. A short G-rich element (G30) located downstream of the alternative 3’splice site of TRα2 mRNA and antisense to the 3’UTR of Rev-erbα plays an important role in regulating TRα2 splicing. G30 is tightly conserved in eutherian mammals, but is absent in marsupials and monotremes. Systematic deletions and substitutions within G30 have dramatically different effects on TRα2 splicing, leading to either its inhibition or its enhancement. Mutations that disrupt one or more clusters of G residues enhance splicing two- to three-fold. These results suggest the G30 sequence can adopt a highly structured conformation, possibly a G-quadruplex, and that it is part of a complex splicing regulatory element which exerts both positive and negative effects on TRα2 expression. Since mutations that strongly enhance splicing in vivo have no effect on splicing in vitro, it is likely that the regulatory role of G30 is mediated through linkage of transcription and splicing. PMID:26368571

Nuclear microscopy in trace-element biology — from cellular studies to the clinic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindh, Ulf

1993-05-01

The concentration and distribution of trace and major elements in cells are of great interest in cell biology. PIXE can provide elemental concentrations in the bulk of cells or organelles as other bulk techniques such as atomic absorption spectrophotometry and nuclear activation analysis. Supplementary information, perhaps more exciting, on the intracellular distributions of trace elements can be provided using nuclear microscopy. Intracellular distributions of trace elements in normal and malignant cells are presented. The toxicity of mercury and cadmium can be prevented by supplementation of the essential trace element selenium. Some results from an experimental animal model are discussed. The intercellular distribution of major and trace elements in isolated blood cells, as revealed by nuclear microscopy, provides useful clinical information. Examples are given concerning inflammatory connective-tissue diseases and the chronic fatigue syndrome.

Effects of thirty elements on bone metabolism.

PubMed

Dermience, Michael; Lognay, Georges; Mathieu, Françoise; Goyens, Philippe

2015-10-01

The human skeleton, made of 206 bones, plays vital roles including supporting the body, protecting organs, enabling movement, and storing minerals. Bones are made of organic structures, intimately connected with an inorganic matrix produced by bone cells. Many elements are ubiquitous in our environment, and many impact bone metabolism. Most elements have antagonistic actions depending on concentration. Indeed, some elements are essential, others are deleterious, and many can be both. Several pathways mediate effects of element deficiencies or excesses on bone metabolism. This paper aims to identify all elements that impact bone health and explore the mechanisms by which they act. To date, this is the first time that the effects of thirty minerals on bone metabolism have been summarized. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Global Transcriptome and Deletome Profiles of Yeast Exposed to Transition Metals

PubMed Central

Jin, Yong Hwan; Dunlap, Paul E.; McBride, Sandra J.; Al-Refai, Hanan; Bushel, Pierre R.; Freedman, Jonathan H.

2008-01-01

A variety of pathologies are associated with exposure to supraphysiological concentrations of essential metals and to non-essential metals and metalloids. The molecular mechanisms linking metal exposure to human pathologies have not been clearly defined. To address these gaps in our understanding of the molecular biology of transition metals, the genomic effects of exposure to Group IB (copper, silver), IIB (zinc, cadmium, mercury), VIA (chromium), and VB (arsenic) elements on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined. Two comprehensive sets of metal-responsive genomic profiles were generated following exposure to equi-toxic concentrations of metal: one that provides information on the transcriptional changes associated with metal exposure (transcriptome), and a second that provides information on the relationship between the expression of ∼4,700 non-essential genes and sensitivity to metal exposure (deletome). Approximately 22% of the genome was affected by exposure to at least one metal. Principal component and cluster analyses suggest that the chemical properties of the metal are major determinants in defining the expression profile. Furthermore, cells may have developed common or convergent regulatory mechanisms to accommodate metal exposure. The transcriptome and deletome had 22 genes in common, however, comparison between Gene Ontology biological processes for the two gene sets revealed that metal stress adaptation and detoxification categories were commonly enriched. Analysis of the transcriptome and deletome identified several evolutionarily conserved, signal transduction pathways that may be involved in regulating the responses to metal exposure. In this study, we identified genes and cognate signaling pathways that respond to exposure to essential and non-essential metals. In addition, genes that are essential for survival in the presence of these metals were identified. This information will contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanism by which organisms respond to metal stress, and could lead to an understanding of the connection between environmental stress and signal transduction pathways. PMID:18437200

Studies on the essentiality of chromium in ruminants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samsell, L.J.; Spears, J.W.

1986-03-01

Although chromium has been established as an essential trace element for certain animal species, no requirement has been shown for ruminants. Sixteen female lambs (35 kg) were used in an attempt to determine if chromium is essential in the ruminant. Animals were individually housed in all plastic pens and fed twice daily either a low chromium (100 ppb) torula yeast based diet or the basal diet supplemented with 10 ppm chromium as CrCl/sub 3/. Blood samples obtained prior to the morning feeding and 2 and 6 hr post-feeding on days 28 and 56 indicated no significant treatment differences in plasmamore » glucose or serum free fatty acids. By day 56, serum cholesterol tended to be lower in chromium supplemented lambs (60.9 vs 71.7 mg/dl). Lambs in the chromium supplemented treatment also tended to gain more efficiently through 56 days (.130 vs .118 gain/fed). On day 84, lambs were bled after a 48 hr fast, refed, then bled again at 2 and 6 hr post-feeding. Plasma glucose and serum free fatty acids were not affected by chromium at the end of the 48 hr fast or when lambs were refed following fasting. At 84 days both total serum cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were lower in lambs receiving supplemental chromium. These results suggest that chromium may have a biological role in the ruminant.« less

Associations of semen quality with non-essential heavy metals in blood and seminal fluid: data from the Environment and Male Infertility (EMI) study in Lebanon.

PubMed

Sukhn, Carol; Awwad, Johnny; Ghantous, Akram; Zaatari, Ghazi

2018-06-21

Human exposure to environmental pollutants is widespread. It was suggested that exposure to non-essential heavy metals may adversely affect semen development in men. To evaluate associations between non-essential heavy metals in blood and seminal fluid and semen quality parameters in men. Male partners of heterosexual couples were included. The following elements were measured in blood and seminal fluid: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), and uranium (U) using ion-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The fertility clinic at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Semen quality parameters (volume, concentration, total count, progressive motility, viability, and normal morphology). We found that participants with low-quality semen had significantly higher Cd and Ba concentrations in the seminal fluid than participants with normal-quality semen. We also observed significant associations between low sperm viability and higher blood Cd and Ba, as well as higher seminal Pb, Cd, Ba, and U. Furthermore, U concentrations in the seminal fluid were associated with increased odds ratios for below-reference progressive sperm motility and normal morphology. Environmental exposures to Pb, Cd, Ba, and U appear to adversely influence sperm development in men. In non-occupationally exposed men, measurements of heavy metals in the seminal fluid may be more predictive of below-reference sperm quality parameters than in blood.

Alx1, a member of the Cart1/Alx3/Alx4 subfamily of Paired-class homeodomain proteins, is an essential component of the gene network controlling skeletogenic fate specification in the sea urchin embryo.

PubMed

Ettensohn, Charles A; Illies, Michele R; Oliveri, Paola; De Jong, Deborah L

2003-07-01

In the sea urchin embryo, the large micromeres and their progeny function as a critical signaling center and execute a complex morphogenetic program. We have identified a new and essential component of the gene network that controls large micromere specification, the homeodomain protein Alx1. Alx1 is expressed exclusively by cells of the large micromere lineage beginning in the first interphase after the large micromeres are born. Morpholino studies demonstrate that Alx1 is essential at an early stage of specification and controls downstream genes required for epithelial-mesenchymal transition and biomineralization. Expression of Alx1 is cell autonomous and regulated maternally through beta-catenin and its downstream effector, Pmar1. Alx1 expression can be activated in other cell lineages at much later stages of development, however, through a regulative pathway of skeletogenesis that is responsive to cell signaling. The Alx1 protein is highly conserved among euechinoid sea urchins and is closely related to the Cart1/Alx3/Alx4 family of vertebrate homeodomain proteins. In vertebrates, these proteins regulate the formation of skeletal elements of the limbs, face and neck. Our findings suggest that the ancestral deuterostome had a population of biomineral-forming mesenchyme cells that expressed an Alx1-like protein.

Blood lead level and its relationship to essential elements in preschool children from Nanning, China.

PubMed

Chen, Jingwen; Li, Muyan; Lv, Qun; Chen, Guoli; Li, Yong; Li, Shaojun; Mo, Yuhuan; Ou, Shiyan; Yuan, Zongxiang; Huang, Mingli; Jiang, Yueming

2015-04-01

Our study aimed to assess the distribution of blood lead level and its relationship to essential elements in preschool children in an urban area of China. A total of 6741 children aged 0- to 6-year-old were recruited. Levels of lead, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, and magnesium in whole blood samples were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean blood lead level (BLL) and the prevalence of BLL≥10μg/dl (5.26±4.08μg/dl and 6.84%, respectively) increased with age gradually, and there was a gender-difference for blood lead, copper, zinc and iron levels. Compared with the group of children who had BLLs<5μg/dl, the groups of 5≤BLLs<10μg/dl and 10≤BLLs<15μg/dl showed higher blood zinc, iron and magnesium levels, and a lower blood calcium level. A positive correlation of lead with zinc, iron and magnesium, and a negative correlation of lead with calcium were found in the group of children with BLL<5μg/dl. Age- and gender-differences were found when assessing the BLL and intoxication prevalence in preschool children. Metabolic disorder of essential elements was found even with a low level of lead exposure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Comparative assessment of essential and heavy metals in fruits from different geographical origins.

PubMed

Grembecka, Małgorzata; Szefer, Piotr

2013-11-01

The aim of this investigation was to estimate and compare essential and heavy metals contents in 98 commercially available fresh fruits from different geographic regions using multivariate techniques. The concentrations of 12 elements (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phophorus, cobalt (Co), manganese, iron, chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), zinc and copper) were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry with deuterium-background correction. Phosphorus was determined in the form of phosphomolybdate by a spectrophotometric method. Reliability of the procedure was checked by analysis of the certified reference materials tea (NCS DC 73351), cabbage (IAEA-359) and spinach leaves (NIST-1570). Recoveries of the elements analysed varied between 85.5 and 103%, and precisions for the reference materials were 0.13-6.08%. Based on recommended dietary allowance and adequate intake estimated for essential elements, it was concluded that accessory fruits such as pineapples, raspberries and strawberries supply organism with the highest amounts of bioelements. Although accessory fruits were also found to be the greatest source of Ni among all the analysed fruits, in all the fruits Ni was more abundant than Cr and Co. Significant correlation coefficients (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) were found between concentrations of some metals in fresh fruits. Application of ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test and multivariate techniques such as factor analysis and cluster analysis enabled us to differentiate particular botanical families and types of fruits.

Metal characterization of white hawthorn organs and infusions.

PubMed

Juranović Cindrić, Iva; Zeiner, Michaela; Konanov, Darija Mihajlov; Stingeder, Gerhard

2015-02-18

Hawthorn is one of the most commonly used European and North American phytopharmaceuticals. Because there is no information on metals in seeds, and only rare data for leaves and flowers, the aim of the present study was elemental analysis of the white hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after digestion in a microwave-assisted system. The limits of detection are below 2 μg/g for ICP-AES and 0.5 μg/g for ICP-MS. Hawthorn leaves and flowers contain essential elements at concentrations (mean values, RSD 2-8%) in mg/g of Ca, 1-4; K, 4-5; Mg, 1-2; and Na, <0.2); and at μg/g levels of Ba, 1-10; Co, <0.16; Cr, <1.4; Cu, 0.6-7; Fe, 1-37; Li, <0.5; Mn, 1-13; Mo, <0.17; Ni, <0.6; Sr, 0.2-2; and Zn, 1-31. Toxic elements were found in low quantities: As (<0.04), Cd (0.04-0.1), and Pb (0.1-2). Up to 10% of the metals is extracted into the infusions. The analyzed plant parts and infusions contain essential elements justifying its use as a medicinal plant, whereas the low quantities of harmful elements will not pose any risk to humans when consumed.

48 CFR 342.7000 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION Contract Monitoring 342.7000 Purpose. Contract monitoring is an essential element of contract administration that the Contracting Officer and the COTR perform jointly. This subpart describes HHS' operating concepts. ...

Active-R filter

DOEpatents

Soderstrand, Michael A.

1976-01-01

An operational amplifier-type active filter in which the only capacitor in the circuit is the compensating capacitance of the operational amplifiers, the various feedback and coupling elements being essentially solely resistive.

Inhibition of the binding of MSG-intermolt-specific complex, MIC, to the sericin-1 gene promoter and sericin-1 gene expression by POU-M1/SGF-3.

PubMed

Kimoto, Mai; Kitagawa, Tsuyuki; Kobayashi, Isao; Nakata, Tomohiro; Kuroiwa, Asato; Takiya, Shigeharu

2012-11-01

The sericin-1 gene encoding a glue protein is expressed in the middle silk gland (MSG) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. A member of the class III POU domain transcription factors, POU-M1, was cloned as the factor bound to the SC site of the sericin-1 promoter and has been proposed to be a positive transcription factor. In this study, we analyzed the expression pattern of the POU-M1 gene in fourth and fifth instars in comparison with the pattern of the sericin-1 gene. The POU-M1 gene was expressed strongly in the region anterior to the sericin-1-expressing portion of the silk gland at both feeding stages. As the sericin-1-expressing region expands from the posterior to middle portions of the MSG in the fifth instar, the POU-M1-expressing region retreated from the middle to anterior portion. Introduction of the expression vector of POU-M1 into the silk glands by gene gun technology repressed promoter activity of the sericin-1 gene, suggesting that POU-M1 regulates the sericin-1 gene negatively. An in vitro binding assay showed that POU-M1 bound not only to the SC site but also to other promoter elements newly detected in vivo. Another spatiotemporal specific factor MIC binds to these elements, and POU-M1 competed with MIC to bind at the -70 site essential for promoter activity. These results suggest that POU-M1 is involved in restricting the anterior boundary of the sericin-1-expressing region in the silk gland by inhibiting the binding of the transcriptional activator to the promoter elements.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudraswami, N. G.; Prasad, M. Shyam; Dey, S.

Most dust-sized cosmic particles undergo ablation and chemical alteration during atmospheric entry, which alters their original properties. A comprehensive understanding of this process is essential in order to decipher their pre-entry characteristics. The purpose of the study is to illustrate the process of vaporization of different elements for various entry parameters. The numerical results for particles of various sizes and various zenith angles are treated in order to understand the changes in chemical composition that the particles undergo as they enter the atmosphere. Particles with large sizes (> few hundred μ m) and high entry velocities (>16 km s{sup −1})more » experience less time at peak temperatures compared to those that have lower velocities. Model calculations suggest that particles can survive with an entry velocity of 11 km s{sup −1} and zenith angles (ZA) of 30°–90°, which accounts for ∼66% of the region where particles retain their identities. Our results suggest that the changes in chemical composition of MgO, SiO{sub 2}, and FeO are not significant for an entry velocity of 11 km s{sup −1} and sizes <300 μ m, but the changes in these compositions become significant beyond this size, where FeO is lost to a major extent. However, at 16 km s{sup −1} the changes in MgO, SiO{sub 2}, and FeO are very intense, which is also reflected in Mg/Si, Fe/Si, Ca/Si, and Al/Si ratios, even for particles with a size of 100 μ m. Beyond 400 μ m particle sizes at 16 km s{sup −1}, most of the major elements are vaporized, leaving the refractory elements, Al and Ca, suspended in the troposphere.« less

Ablation and Chemical Alteration of Cosmic Dust Particles during Entry into the Earth’s Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudraswami, N. G.; Shyam Prasad, M.; Dey, S.; Plane, J. M. C.; Feng, W.; Carrillo-Sánchez, J. D.; Fernandes, D.

2016-12-01

Most dust-sized cosmic particles undergo ablation and chemical alteration during atmospheric entry, which alters their original properties. A comprehensive understanding of this process is essential in order to decipher their pre-entry characteristics. The purpose of the study is to illustrate the process of vaporization of different elements for various entry parameters. The numerical results for particles of various sizes and various zenith angles are treated in order to understand the changes in chemical composition that the particles undergo as they enter the atmosphere. Particles with large sizes (> few hundred μm) and high entry velocities (>16 km s‑1) experience less time at peak temperatures compared to those that have lower velocities. Model calculations suggest that particles can survive with an entry velocity of 11 km s‑1 and zenith angles (ZA) of 30°–90°, which accounts for ∼66% of the region where particles retain their identities. Our results suggest that the changes in chemical composition of MgO, SiO2, and FeO are not significant for an entry velocity of 11 km s‑1 and sizes <300 μm, but the changes in these compositions become significant beyond this size, where FeO is lost to a major extent. However, at 16 km s‑1 the changes in MgO, SiO2, and FeO are very intense, which is also reflected in Mg/Si, Fe/Si, Ca/Si, and Al/Si ratios, even for particles with a size of 100 μm. Beyond 400 μm particle sizes at 16 km s‑1, most of the major elements are vaporized, leaving the refractory elements, Al and Ca, suspended in the troposphere.

Insights into soybean transcriptome reconfiguration under hypoxic stress: Functional, regulatory, structural, and compositional characterization.

PubMed

Nakayama, Thiago J; Rodrigues, Fabiana A; Neumaier, Norman; Marcolino-Gomes, Juliana; Molinari, Hugo B C; Santiago, Thaís R; Formighieri, Eduardo F; Basso, Marcos F; Farias, José R B; Emygdio, Beatriz M; de Oliveira, Ana C B; Campos, Ângela D; Borém, Aluízio; Harmon, Frank G; Mertz-Henning, Liliane M; Nepomuceno, Alexandre L

2017-01-01

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the major crops worldwide and flooding stress affects the production and expansion of cultivated areas. Oxygen is essential for mitochondrial aerobic respiration to supply the energy demand of plant cells. Because oxygen diffusion in water is 10,000 times lower than in air, partial (hypoxic) or total (anoxic) oxygen deficiency is important component of flooding. Even when oxygen is externally available, oxygen deficiency frequently occurs in bulky, dense or metabolically active tissues such as phloem, meristems, seeds, and fruits. In this study, we analyzed conserved and divergent root transcriptional responses between flood-tolerant Embrapa 45 and flood-sensitive BR 4 soybean cultivars under hypoxic stress conditions with RNA-seq. To understand how soybean genes evolve and respond to hypoxia, stable and differentially expressed genes were characterized structurally and compositionally comparing its mechanistic relationship. Between cultivars, Embrapa 45 showed less up- and more down-regulated genes, and stronger induction of phosphoglucomutase (Glyma05g34790), unknown protein related to N-terminal protein myristoylation (Glyma06g03430), protein suppressor of phyA-105 (Glyma06g37080), and fibrillin (Glyma10g32620). RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis of non-symbiotic hemoglobin (Glyma11g12980) indicated divergence in gene structure between cultivars. Transcriptional changes for genes in amino acids and derivative metabolic process suggest involvement of amino acids metabolism in tRNA modifications, translation accuracy/efficiency, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in both cultivars under hypoxia. Gene groups differed in promoter TATA box, ABREs (ABA-responsive elements), and CRT/DREs (C-repeat/dehydration-responsive elements) frequency. Gene groups also differed in structure, composition, and codon usage, indicating biological significances. Additional data suggests that cis-acting ABRE elements can mediate gene expression independent of ABA in soybean roots under hypoxia.

The Metabolic Core and Catalytic Switches Are Fundamental Elements in the Self-Regulation of the Systemic Metabolic Structure of Cells

PubMed Central

De la Fuente, Ildefonso M.; Cortes, Jesus M.; Perez-Pinilla, Martin B.; Ruiz-Rodriguez, Vicente; Veguillas, Juan

2011-01-01

Background Experimental observations and numerical studies with dissipative metabolic networks have shown that cellular enzymatic activity self-organizes spontaneously leading to the emergence of a metabolic core formed by a set of enzymatic reactions which are always active under all environmental conditions, while the rest of catalytic processes are only intermittently active. The reactions of the metabolic core are essential for biomass formation and to assure optimal metabolic performance. The on-off catalytic reactions and the metabolic core are essential elements of a Systemic Metabolic Structure which seems to be a key feature common to all cellular organisms. Methodology/Principal Findings In order to investigate the functional importance of the metabolic core we have studied different catalytic patterns of a dissipative metabolic network under different external conditions. The emerging biochemical data have been analysed using information-based dynamic tools, such as Pearson's correlation and Transfer Entropy (which measures effective functionality). Our results show that a functional structure of effective connectivity emerges which is dynamical and characterized by significant variations of bio-molecular information flows. Conclusions/Significance We have quantified essential aspects of the metabolic core functionality. The always active enzymatic reactions form a hub –with a high degree of effective connectivity- exhibiting a wide range of functional information values being able to act either as a source or as a sink of bio-molecular causal interactions. Likewise, we have found that the metabolic core is an essential part of an emergent functional structure characterized by catalytic modules and metabolic switches which allow critical transitions in enzymatic activity. Both, the metabolic core and the catalytic switches in which also intermittently-active enzymes are involved seem to be fundamental elements in the self-regulation of the Systemic Metabolic Structure. PMID:22125607

Superconductivity theory applied to the periodic table of the elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elifritz, T.L.

1994-12-31

The modern theory of superconductivity, based upon the BCS to Bose-Einstein transition, is applied to the periodic table of the elements, in order to isolate the essential features of high temperature superconductivity and to predict its occurrence within the periodic table. It is predicted that Sodium-Ammonia, Sodium Zinc Phosphide and Bismuth (I) Iodide are promising materials for experimental explorations of high temperature superconductivity.

The Semi-opened Infrastructure Model (SopIM): A Frame to Set Up an Organizational Learning Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grundstein, Michel

In this paper, we introduce the "Semi-opened Infrastructure Model (SopIM)" implemented to deploy Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge-based Systems within a large industrial company. This model illustrates what could be two of the operating elements of the Model for General Knowledge Management within the Enterprise (MGKME) that are essential to set up the organizational learning process that leads people to appropriate and use concepts, methods and tools of an innovative technology: the "Ad hoc Infrastructures" element, and the "Organizational Learning Processes" element.

Axial-Current Matrix Elements in Light Nuclei from Lattice QCD

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Savage, Martin; Shanahan, Phiala E.; Tiburzi, Brian C.

2016-12-01

I present results from the first lattice QCD calculations of axial-current matrix elements in light nuclei, performed by the NPLQCD collaboration. Precision calculations of these matrix elements, and the subsequent extraction of multi-nucleon axial-current operators, are essential in refining theoretical predictions of the proton-proton fusion cross section, neutrino-nucleus cross sections andmore » $$\\beta\\beta$$-decay rates of nuclei. In addition, they are expected to shed light on the phenomenological quenching of $$g_A$$ that is required in nuclear many-body calculations.« less

A synthetic maternal-effect selfish genetic element drives population replacement in Drosophila.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Hong; Huang, Haixia; Ward, Catherine M; Su, Jessica T; Schaeffer, Lorian V; Guo, Ming; Hay, Bruce A

2007-04-27

One proposed strategy for controlling the transmission of insect-borne pathogens uses a drive mechanism to ensure the rapid spread of transgenes conferring disease refractoriness throughout wild populations. Here, we report the creation of maternal-effect selfish genetic elements in Drosophila that drive population replacement and are resistant to recombination-mediated dissociation of drive and disease refractoriness functions. These selfish elements use microRNA-mediated silencing of a maternally expressed gene essential for embryogenesis, which is coupled with early zygotic expression of a rescuing transgene.

Real time infrared aerosol analyzer

DOEpatents

Johnson, Stanley A.; Reedy, Gerald T.; Kumar, Romesh

1990-01-01

Apparatus for analyzing aerosols in essentially real time includes a virtual impactor which separates coarse particles from fine and ultrafine particles in an aerosol sample. The coarse and ultrafine particles are captured in PTFE filters, and the fine particles impact onto an internal light reflection element. The composition and quantity of the particles on the PTFE filter and on the internal reflection element are measured by alternately passing infrared light through the filter and the internal light reflection element, and analyzing the light through infrared spectrophotometry to identify the particles in the sample.

Conceptual design study of a visual system for a rotorcraft simulator and some advances in platform motion utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinacori, J. B.

1980-01-01

A conceptual design of a visual system for a rotorcraft flight simulator is presented. Also, drive logic elements for a coupled motion base for such a simulator are given. The design is the result of an assessment of many potential arrangements of electro-optical elements and is a concept considered feasible for the application. The motion drive elements represent an example logic for a coupled motion base and is essentially an appeal to the designers of such logic to combine their washout and braking functions.

Reduction of pollutants in painting operation and suggestion of an optimal technique for extracting titanium dioxide from paint sludge in car manufacturing industries--case study (SAIPA).

PubMed

Khezri, Seyed Mostafa; Shariat, Seyed Mahmood; Tabibian, Sahar

2012-06-01

Paint sludge of car manufacturing industries are not disposed in landfills, since they contain hazardous materials with a high concentration of chromium, aluminum, titanium, barium, copper, Iron, magnesium, strontium, and so on. Thus, it is essential to find solutions in order to neutralize them or suggest cost-effective techniques, which are also environmentally acceptable. Because, this sludge contains considerable amounts of Ti pigments and unbaked resins, recycling these pigments--which could be used in a variety of industries such as paint factories--is an appropriate subject for further research. In this article, with the aim of identification of main pollutants in order to eliminate them and suggest a cost-effective solution to recover the sludge, a large number of tests including X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X ray diffraction spectroscopy, and diffusion thermal analysis are conducted to determine types and concentration of elements, and combinations of paint sludge in car manufacturing industries. As titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is widely used as the main pigment of automobile paints, an optimal technique is suggested for extracting TiO₂ with high purity percentage through adopting scientific methods such as membrane and electrolysis.

Mutation of the myosin converter domain alters cross-bridge elasticity

PubMed Central

Köhler, Jan; Winkler, Gerhard; Schulte, Imke; Scholz, Tim; McKenna, William; Brenner, Bernhard; Kraft, Theresia

2002-01-01

Elastic distortion of a structural element of the actomyosin complex is fundamental to the ability of myosin to generate motile forces. An elastic element allows strain to develop within the actomyosin complex (cross-bridge) before movement. Relief of this strain then drives filament sliding, or more generally, movement of a cargo. Even with the known crystal structure of the myosin head, however, the structural element of the actomyosin complex in which elastic distortion occurs remained unclear. To assign functional relevance to various structural elements of the myosin head, e.g., to identify the elastic element within the cross-bridge, we studied mechanical properties of muscle fibers from patients with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with point mutations in the head domain of the β-myosin heavy chain. We found that the Arg-719 → Trp (Arg719Trp) mutation, which is located in the converter domain of the myosin head fragment, causes an increase in force generation and fiber stiffness under isometric conditions by 48–59%. Under rigor and relaxing conditions, fiber stiffness was 45–47% higher than in control fibers. Yet, kinetics of active cross-bridge cycling were unchanged. These findings, especially the increase in fiber stiffness under rigor conditions, indicate that cross-bridges with the Arg719Trp mutation are more resistant to elastic distortion. The data presented here strongly suggest that the converter domain that forms the junction between the catalytic and the light-chain-binding domain of the myosin head is not only essential for elastic distortion of the cross-bridge, but that the main elastic distortion may even occur within the converter domain itself. PMID:11904418

Potential Novel Mechanism for Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome: Deletion of a Distant Region Containing Regulatory Elements of PITX2

PubMed Central

Volkmann, Bethany A.; Zinkevich, Natalya S.; Mustonen, Aki; Schilter, Kala F.; Bosenko, Dmitry V.; Reis, Linda M.; Broeckel, Ulrich; Link, Brian A.

2011-01-01

Purpose. Mutations in PITX2 are associated with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), which involves ocular, dental, and umbilical abnormalities. Identification of cis-regulatory elements of PITX2 is important to better understand the mechanisms of disease. Methods. Conserved noncoding elements surrounding PITX2/pitx2 were identified and examined through transgenic analysis in zebrafish; expression pattern was studied by in situ hybridization. Patient samples were screened for deletion/duplication of the PITX2 upstream region using arrays and probes. Results. Zebrafish pitx2 demonstrates conserved expression during ocular and craniofacial development. Thirteen conserved noncoding sequences positioned within a gene desert as far as 1.1 Mb upstream of the human PITX2 gene were identified; 11 have enhancer activities consistent with pitx2 expression. Ten elements mediated expression in the developing brain, four regions were active during eye formation, and two sequences were associated with craniofacial expression. One region, CE4, located approximately 111 kb upstream of PITX2, directed a complex pattern including expression in the developing eye and craniofacial region, the classic sites affected in ARS. Screening of ARS patients identified an approximately 7600-kb deletion that began 106 to 108 kb upstream of the PITX2 gene, leaving PITX2 intact while removing regulatory elements CE4 to CE13. Conclusions. These data suggest the presence of a complex distant regulatory matrix within the gene desert located upstream of PITX2 with an essential role in its activity and provides a possible mechanism for the previous reports of ARS in patients with balanced translocations involving the 4q25 region upstream of PITX2 and the current patient with an upstream deletion. PMID:20881290

Elevated serum MDA and depleted non-enzymatic antioxidants, macro-minerals and trace elements are associated with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Manjurul Islam; Hasan, Maimuna; Islam, Mohammad Safiqul; Sarwar, Md Shahid; Amin, Mohammad Nurul; Uddin, S M Naim; Rahaman, Md Zahedur; Banik, Sujan; Hussain, Md Saddam; Yokota, Kazushige; Hasnat, Abul

2017-01-01

Genetic and neurobiological factors are considered to be the major causes of mood and mental disorders. However, over the past few years, increased levels of serum malondialdehyde and altered levels of various non-enzymatic antioxidants and essential minerals involved in abnormal functional activity have been identified as major contributing factors to the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of the serum lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), antioxidants (vitamin A, E and C), macro-minerals (calcium, potassium and sodium) and trace elements (zinc, iron and selenium) in patients with bipolar disorder and to explore their role in disease progression. This is a prospective case-control study that evaluated 55 patients with bipolar disorder and 55 healthy volunteers matched by age and sex. Serum MDA levels were determined by UV spectrophotometry as a marker of lipid peroxidation. RP-HPLC was employed to investigate the serum vitamin A and E concentrations, whereas UV spectrophotometry was used to quantify levels of vitamin C. Serum macro-minerals and trace elements were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Statistical analysis was performed with independent sample t-tests and Pearson's correlation test. We found significantly higher concentrations of MDA (p<0.05) and significantly lower concentrations of antioxidants (vitamin A, E and C) (p<0.05) in the patient group compared with control group. Regarding trace elements and macro-minerals, lower concentrations of zinc, calcium, iron, selenium, sodium and potassium were found in the patient group compared with control subjects (p<0.05). Our study suggests that high serum MDA concentrations and low serum concentrations of antioxidants, macro-minerals and trace elements are strongly associated with bipolar disorder. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition of selected seaweeds from the Indian Ocean, KwaZulu-Natal coast, South Africa.

PubMed

Magura, Judie; Moodley, Roshila; Jonnalagadda, Sreekantha B

2016-08-02

The chemical composition of three edible seaweeds (Codium capitatum, Hypnea spicifera and Sargassum elegans) and two inedible seaweeds (Halimeda cuneata and Spyridia hypnoides) from the Indian Ocean along the KwaZulu-Natal East Coast, South Africa were investigated as a function of seasonal variation. The proximate compositions of the edible seaweeds were determined. In edible seaweeds, the moisture level ranged from 85.4 to 89.5%, protein from 6.1 to 11.8%, lipids from 7.5 to 13.1% and carbohydrates from 37.8 to 71.9%. Elemental concentrations in the five studied seaweeds varied significantly with season (P < 0.05) with mean elemental concentrations (in µg g(-1), dry weight) being: Ca (29 260), Mg (6 279), Fe (1 086), Cu (145.9), Mn (48.32), As (24.29), Zn (15.65), Ni (9.83), Cr (5.78), Pb (4.84), Co (0.87) and Se (0.86). The concentrations of As were particularly high in S. elegans, ranging from 94.70 ± 6.6 µg g(-1) in winter to 65.10 ± 2.3 µg g(-1) in summer. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed similar distribution of elements in edible seaweeds which was dissimilar to that in inedible seaweeds. This study suggests that edible macro alga, C. capitatum and H. spicifera, could be potential sources of most essential nutrients and may contribute positively to the diet without posing the risk of adverse health effects due to low concentrations of toxic elements. However, due to high levels of As in S. elegans, its consumption should be moderated to reduce dietary exposure to this toxic element.

Person-Centered Care: A Definition and Essential Elements.

PubMed

2016-01-01

Improving healthcare safety, quality, and coordination, as well as quality of life, are important aims of caring for older adults with multiple chronic conditions and/or functional limitations. Person-centered care is an approach to meeting these aims, but there are no standardized, agreed-upon parameters for delivering such care. The SCAN Foundation charged a team from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) in collaboration with a research and clinical team from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California to provide the evidence base to support a definition of person-centered care and its essential elements. An interprofessional panel of experts in person-centered care principles and practices that the AGS convened developed this statement. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

Trace and Essential Elements Analysis in Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf Samples by Graphite Furnace-Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Its Health Concern

PubMed Central

Anal, Jasha Momo H.

2014-01-01

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf commonly known as lemon grass is used extensively as green tea and even as herbal tea ingredient across the world. Plants have the ability to uptake metals as nutrient from the soil and its environment which are so essential for their physiological and biochemical growth. Concentrations of these twelve trace elements, namely, Mg, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, As, Cd, and Pb, are analysed by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS) and are compared with the permissible limits of FAO/WHO, ICMR, and NIH, USA, which are found to be within permissible limits. Toxic metals like As, Cd, and Pb, analysed are within the tolerable daily diet limit and at low concentration. PMID:25525430

The French Atlantic Littoral and the Massif Armoricain. [Bay of Biscay, France and Spain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verger, F. (Principal Investigator); Monget, J. M.; Scanvic, J. Y.

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Diachronic use of LANDSAT data time series will in time allow study of statistically submerged frequencies in tidal areas. This is an essential element of coastal geomorphology and of coastal zone management, being particularly useful in siting shellfish farms. Maps at useable scales and simple user oriented legends should become an essential document for coastal planning agencies.

Biogeochemical Cycling of Fe, S, C, N, and Mo in the 3.2 Ga ocean: Constraints from DXCL-DP Black Shales from Pilbara, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, K. E.; Naraoka, H.; Ikehara, M.; Ito, T.; Kiyokawa, S.

2014-12-01

Records of geochemical cycling of bio-essential, redox-sensitive elements have keys to decipher mysteries of the co-evolution of Earth and life. To obtain insight into biogeochemical cycling of those elements and early evolution of microbial biosphere from high-quality samples, we drilled through Mesoarchean strata in coastal Pilbara (Dixon Island-Cleaverville Drilling Project, see Yamaguchi et al., 2009; Kiyokawa et al., 2012), and obtained 3.2 Ga old drillcores (CL1, CL2, and DX) of sulfide-rich black shales in the Cleaverville Group, Pilbara Supergroup. We conducted a systematic geochemical study involving sequential extractions of Fe, S, C, and N for phase-dependent contents (e.g., pyrite-Fe, reactive-Fe, highly reactive-Fe, unreactive-Fe, pyrite-S, sulfate-S, organic-S, elemental-S, Corg, Ccarb, Norg, and Nclay) and their stable isotope compositions, micro FT-IR and laser Raman spectroscopy for extracted kerogen, in addition to major and trace (redox-sensitive; e.g., Mo) element analysis, for >100 samples. Here we integrate our recent multidisciplinary investigations into the redox state of ocean and nature of microbial biosphere in the ocean 3.2 Ga ago. All of the obtained data are very difficult to explain only by geochemical processes in strictly anoxic environments, where both atmosphere and oceans were completely anoxic, like an environment before the inferred "Great Oxidation Event" when pO2 was lower than 0.00001 PAL (e.g., Holland, 1994). Our extensive data set consistently suggests that oxygenic photosynthesis, bacterial sulfate reduction, and microbially mediated redox-cycling of nitrogen, possibly involving denitrification and N2-fixation, are very likely to have been operating, and may be used as a strong evidence for at least local and temporal existence of oxidized environment as far back as 3.2 Ga ago. Modern-style biogeochemical cycling of Fe, S, C, N, and Mo has been operating since then. The atmosphere-hydrosphere system 3.2 Ga ago would have been sufficiently oxidized to allow redox-cycling of elements during deposition of the sediments, ~800 Ma earlier than commonly thought. Our suggestions have far-reaching and astrobiological implications for earlier evolution of the surface environment, especially redox state, and marine microbial biosphere.

In vitro antioxidant and antihemolytic effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Allium rotundum L.

PubMed

Assadpour, S; Nabavi, S M; Nabavi, S F; Dehpour, A A; Ebrahimzadeh, M A

2016-12-01

A plethora of scientific evidence showed that several plant species from the genus Allium (Alliaceae) possess multiple therapeutic effects. Present paper aimed to examine the antioxidant and antihemolytic activities of the essential oil and methanol extract Allium rotundum L. through different in vitro assays. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl radical (DPPH), nitric oxide as well as hydrogen peroxide scavenging, Fe2+ chelating, reducing power and also hemoglobin-induced linoleic acid peroxidation assay systems have been utilized to examine antioxidant effects of these samples. Total amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents were calculated. The antihemolytic effect was investigated against hemolysis induced by hydrogen peroxide in rat erythrocytes. Also, mineral contents of plant were evaluated by atomic absorption spectroscopy. IC50 for DPPH radical-scavenging activity were 284 ± 11.64 for methanol extract and 1264 ± 45.60 µg ml-1 for essential oil, respectively. The extract has shown better reducing effects versus essential oil. The extract also demonstrated better activity in nitric oxide-scavenging activity. IC50 were 464 ± 19.68 for extract and 1093 ± 38.25 µg ml-1 for essential oil. The extract shows better activity than essential oil in Fe2+ chelating system. IC50 were 100 ± 3.75 for extract and 1223 ± 36.25 µg ml-1 for essential oil. The A. rotundum extract and essential oil showed significant H2O2 scavenging effects at dose-dependent manners. IC50 was 786 ± 29.08 mg ml-1 for essential oil. The amounts of eight elements were determined. The concentrations of elements were in the order: Mn> Fe> Zn> Cu> Ni> Cd. The extract showed a higher antioxidant effect in all tested models including DPPH, nitric oxide, reducing power as well as iron chelating and antihemolytic activities than essential oil. The latter showed more potent antioxidant activity in scavenging H2O2 and lipid peroxidation model. Antioxidant activities of extract may be attributed at least in part, due to its phenolic and flavonoid contents.

Trace elements in agroecosystems and impacts on the environment.

PubMed

He, Zhenli L; Yang, Xiaoe E; Stoffella, Peter J

2005-01-01

Trace elements mean elements present at low concentrations (mg kg-1 or less) in agroecosystems. Some trace elements, including copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), and boron (B) are essential to plant growth and are called micronutrients. Except for B, these elements are also heavy metals, and are toxic to plants at high concentrations. Some trace elements, such as cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se), are not essential to plant growth but are required by animals and human beings. Other trace elements such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) have toxic effects on living organisms and are often considered as contaminants. Trace elements in an agroecosystem are either inherited from soil parent materials or inputs through human activities. Soil contamination with heavy metals and toxic elements due to parent materials or point sources often occurs in a limited area and is easy to identify. Repeated use of metal-enriched chemicals, fertilizers, and organic amendments such as sewage sludge as well as wastewater may cause contamination at a large scale. A good example is the increased concentration of Cu and Zn in soils under long-term production of citrus and other fruit crops. Many chemical processes are involved in the transformation of trace elements in soils, but precipitation-dissolution, adsorption-desorption, and complexation are the most important processes controlling bioavailability and mobility of trace elements in soils. Both deficiency and toxicity of trace elements occur in agroecosystems. Application of trace elements in fertilizers is effective in correcting micronutrient deficiencies for crop production, whereas remediation of soils contaminated with metals is still costly and difficult although phytoremediation appears promising as a cost-effective approach. Soil microorganisms are the first living organisms subjected to the impacts of metal contamination. Being responsive and sensitive, changes in microbial biomass, activity, and community structure as a result of increased metal concentration in soil may be used as indicators of soil contamination or soil environmental quality. Future research needs to focus on the balance of trace elements in an agroecosystem, elaboration of soil chemical and biochemical parameters that can be used to diagnose soil contamination with or deficiency in trace elements, and quantification of trace metal transport from an agroecosystem to the environment.

Trace elemental analysis of human breast cancerous blood by advanced PC-WDXRF technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Ranjit; Kainth, Harpreet Singh; Prasher, Puneet; Singh, Tejbir

2018-03-01

The objective of this work is to quantify the trace elements of healthy and non-healthy blood samples by using advanced polychromatic source based wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (PC-WDXRF) technique. The imbalances in trace elements present in the human blood directly or indirectly lead to the carcinogenic process. The trace elements 11Na, 12Mg, 15P, 16S, 17Cl, 19K, 20Ca, 26Fe, 29Cu and 30Zn are identified and their concentrations are estimated. The experimental results clearly discuss the variation and role of various trace elements present in the non-healthy blood samples relative to the healthy blood samples. These results establish future guidelines to probe the possible roles of essential trace elements in the breast carcinogenic processes. The instrumental sensitivity and detection limits for measuring the elements in the atomic range 11 ≤ Z ≤ 30 have also been discussed in the present work.

Mineral inversion for element capture spectroscopy logging based on optimization theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jianpeng; Chen, Hui; Yin, Lu; Li, Ning

2017-12-01

Understanding the mineralogical composition of a formation is an essential key step in the petrophysical evaluation of petroleum reservoirs. Geochemical logging tools can provide quantitative measurements of a wide range of elements. In this paper, element capture spectroscopy (ECS) was taken as an example and an optimization method was adopted to solve the mineral inversion problem for ECS. This method used the converting relationship between elements and minerals as response equations and took into account the statistical uncertainty of the element measurements and established an optimization function for ECS. Objective function value and reconstructed elemental logs were used to check the robustness and reliability of the inversion method. Finally, the inversion mineral results had a good agreement with x-ray diffraction laboratory data. The accurate conversion of elemental dry weights to mineral dry weights formed the foundation for the subsequent applications based on ECS.

Elemental composition of four farmed fish produced in Portugal.

PubMed

Lourenço, Helena M; Afonso, Cláudia; Anacleto, Patrícia; Martins, Maria F; Nunes, Maria L; Lino, Ana R

2012-11-01

Farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and turbot (Psetta maxima) produced in Portugal were analysed in order to characterize their elemental composition. Atomic absorption (flame and cold vapour) and molecular absorption spectrometry techniques were used to determine all the studied elements. Similar patterns of macro, trace and ultra trace elements were observed for all fish species. The main elements were potassium (K), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca), followed by zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni). Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) concentrations, obtained in this study, allow concluding that these species do not present a hazard for human consumption. In addition, they contain almost all essential elements at concentrations sufficient to suit the dietary reference intake. Nevertheless, P. maxima nutritious trace element content is relatively low compared with the other three species.

INAA Application for Trace Element Determination in Biological Reference Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atmodjo, D. P. D.; Kurniawati, S.; Lestiani, D. D.; Adventini, N.

2017-06-01

Trace element determination in biological samples is often used in the study of health and toxicology. Determination change to its essentiality and toxicity of trace element require an accurate determination method, which implies that a good Quality Control (QC) procedure should be performed. In this study, QC for trace element determination in biological samples was applied by analyzing the Standard Reference Material (SRM) Bovine muscle 8414 NIST using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). Three selected trace element such as Fe, Zn, and Se were determined. Accuracy of the elements showed as %recovery and precision as %coefficient of variance (%CV). The result showed that %recovery of Fe, Zn, and Se were in the range between 99.4-107%, 92.7-103%, and 91.9-112%, respectively, whereas %CV were 2.92, 3.70, and 5.37%, respectively. These results showed that INAA method is precise and accurate for trace element determination in biological matrices.

Accumulation and Translocation of Essential and Nonessential Elements by Tomato Plants (Solanum lycopersicum) Cultivated in Open-Air Plots under Organic or Conventional Farming Techniques.

PubMed

Liñero, Olaia; Cidad, Maite; Carrero, Jose Antonio; Nguyen, Christophe; de Diego, Alberto

2015-11-04

A 5-month experiment was performed to study the accumulation of several inorganic elements in tomato plants cultivated using organic or synthetic fertilizer. Plants were harvested in triplicate at six sampling dates during their life cycle. Statistical and chemometric analysis of data indicated the sequestration of toxic elements and of Na, Zn, Fe, and Co in roots, while the rest of the elements, including Cd, were mainly translocated to aboveground organs. A general decreasing trend in element concentrations with time was observed for most of them. A negative correlation between some element concentrations and ripening stage of fruits was identified. Conventionally grown plants seemed to accumulate more Cd and Tl in their tissues, while organic ones were richer in some nutrients. However, there was no clear effect of the fertilizer used (organic vs synthetic) on the elemental composition of fruits.

Mineral Nutrition of Plants. Chapter 9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wignarajah, Kanapathipillai

1995-01-01

The ultimate source of nutrients for all living organisms consists of the inanimate nutrient reserves found on earth. Of the elements known to exist, seven are considered essential to plants in large amounts (macronutrients), and many others are required in smaller quantities (micronutrients). Essentiality of a nutrient is defined according to the following concepts: (a) A deficiency of the element makes it impossible for the plant to complete the vegetative or reproductive stage of its cycle; (b) such deficiency is specific to the element in question and can be prevented or corrected only by supplying this element; (c) the element is directly involved in the nutrition of the plant quite apart from its possible effects in correcting some unfavorable microbiological or chemical condition of the soil or other culture medium. From that standpoint a favorable response from adding a given element to the culture medium does not constitute conclusive evidence of its indispensability in plant nutrition. All the elements occurring in the outer part of the earth are in constant turnover among the different components of earth. This overall migration is referred to as geochemical cycling. When cycling includes a role for biological organisms, it is referred to as "biogeochemical cycling." Like most cyclical processes in nature, the biogeochemical cycling of elements is not continuous, nor does it proceed in a well-defined direction. At stages, it may be halted or short-circuited, or it may change. Any changes will eventually impact the survival, evolution, and development of biological species in the system. The relationship of the various systems is represented in a schematic manner. To assess the efficiency of operation of the biogeochemical cycles, it is important to include both natural and human activities. Often reliable values on use by man are difficult to obtain for a number of reasons, such as lack of international cooperation, and lack of proper bookkeeping and auditing by individual nations. However, a general estimate of the annual world consumption of elements and their compounds is presented.

Trace elements and diabetes: Assessment of levels in tears and serum.

PubMed

Cancarini, A; Fostinelli, J; Napoli, L; Gilberti, M E; Apostoli, P; Semeraro, F

2017-01-01

Tear film is critical for the well-being and homeostasis of the ocular surface. Although the composition of the tear film is well known, the composition of metallic elements have yet to be analysed. Despite trace elements metabolism has been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disease that affects several aspects of homeostasis, little is known in the literature regarding concentration and possible variation of metallic elements in tear film. We studied the concentrations of several essential and non-essential metallic elements in the tear fluid and serum of patients with type II diabetes mellitus and a group of non-diabetic controls. Serum and tear fluid were collected from 97 patients: 47 type II diabetic patients and 50 non-diabetic controls. Regarding tear film, there were statistically significant differences in Zinc, Chrome, Cobalt, Manganese, Barium, and Lead between groups; the values of all metallic elements were found to be statistically significant higher in patients with mellitus type II diabetes. Regarding serum values there was a statistically significant difference in Chrome, Cobalt, and Selenium values; the concentrations of Chrome and Cobalt were higher in the control group, while Selenium concentration was higher in diabetic patients. In patients with type II diabetes, metal elements with higher concentrations in tears compared to serum were: Lead, Barium, Manganese, Cobalt, and Chrome. In the control group, the metal elements with the highest concentration in tear film compared to serum were Chrome, Manganese, Barium, and Lead. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the possible effect of a disease, such as diabetes, on the metabolism of metallic elements. Although our evidence was very interesting, it is probably limited in its accuracy due to the fact that individuals in the control group harboured ocular pathologies. This work lays the foundation for future studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superior spatial resolution in confocal X-ray techniques using collimating channel array optics: elemental mapping and speciation in archaeological human bone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choudhury, S.; Agyeman-Budu, D. N.; Woll, A. R.

Confocal X-ray fluorescence imaging (CXFI) and confocal X-ray absorption spectroscopy (CXAS) respectively enable the study of three dimensionally resolved localization and speciation of elements. Applied to a thick sample, essentially any volume element of interest within the X-ray fluorescence escape depth can be examined without the need for physical thin sectioning. To date, X-ray confocal detection generally has employed a polycapillary optic in front of the detector to collect fluorescence from the probe volume formed at the intersection of its focus with the incident microfocus beam. This work demonstrates the capability of a novel Collimating Channel Array (CCA) optic inmore » providing an improved and essentially energy independent depth resolution approaching 2 μm. By presenting a comparison of elemental maps of archaeological bone collected without confocal detection, and with polycapillary- and CCA-based confocal detection, this study highlights the strengths and limitations of each mode. Unlike the polycapillary, the CCA shows similar spatial resolution in maps for both low (Ca) and high (Pb and Sr) energy X-ray fluorescence, thus illustrating the energy independent nature of the CCA optic resolution. While superior spatial resolution is demonstrated for all of these elements, the most significant improvement is observed for Ca, demonstrating the advantage of employing the CCA optic in examining light elements. In addition to CXFI, this configuration also enables the collection of Pb L3 CXAS data from micro-volumes with dimensions comparable to bone microstructures of interest. Our CXAS result, which represents the first CCA-based biological CXAS, demonstrates the ability of CCA optics to collect site specific spectroscopic information. The demonstrated combination of site-specific elemental localization and speciation data will be useful in diverse fields.« less

Potential of Cultivated Ganoderma lucidum Mushrooms for the Production of Supplements Enriched with Essential Elements.

PubMed

Rzymski, Piotr; Mleczek, Mirosław; Niedzielski, Przemysław; Siwulski, Marek; Gąsecka, Monika

2016-03-01

Ganoderma lucidum is an important medicinal mushroom species and there is continuous interest in its bioactive properties. This study evaluated whether it may additionally serve as a nutritional supplement for the trace elements: selenium (Se), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Mushrooms were cultivated on substrates enriched with 0.1 to 0.8 mM of inorganic Se alone or in combination with Zn and/or Cu. Supplementation increased accumulation of the elements in fruiting bodies regardless of the applied cultivation model. G. lucidum demonstrated the ability to accumulate significant amounts of organic Se, maximally amounting to (i) over 44 mg/kg when the substrate was supplemented only with Se, (ii) over 20 mg/kg in the Se+Cu model, (iii) over 25 mg/kg in the Se+Zn model, and (iv) 15 mg/kg in the Se+Cu+Zn model. The accumulation of Cu and Zn steadily increased with their initial substrate concentrations. Maximum concentrations found after supplementation with 0.8 mM amounted to over 55 mg/kg (Se+Zn) and 52 mg/kg (Se+Cu+Zn) of Zn, and 29 mg/kg (Se+Cu) and over 31 mg/kg (Se+Cu+Zn) of Cu. The greater the supplemented concentration and number of supplemented elements, the lower the biomass of G. lucidum fruiting bodies. Nevertheless, it still remained high when the substrate was supplemented up to 0.4 mM with each element. These results highlight that G. lucidum can easily incorporate elements from the substrate and that, when biofortified, its dried fruiting bodies may serve as a nutritional source of these essential elements. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Project development process.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-08-01

The following chapter explains the purpose of this document, outlines the essential elements involved in : the Project Development Process, describes the differences in the three main project classifications, and : provides the necessary background i...