WorldWideScience

Sample records for tissue water relations

  1. Water hardness and cardiovascular disease. Elements in water and human tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharrett, A R

    1977-05-01

    The hypothesis that the hardness of drinking water has a causal role in the development of cardiovascular disease will be strengthened if it can be demonstrated that elements in drinking water find their way into human tissues in significant amounts. For biologically important metals, the evidence is reviewed for a relationship of tissue levels to levels in drinking water. Hard water can contribute significantly to daily magnesium intake. Residents of hard-water areas may have raised levels of magnesium in coronary arteries, bone, and myocardial tissue. Lead levels in bone and in blood have been shown to be elevated in individuals living in homes with lead plumbing and soft water. Cadmium intake from water is probably small compared to that from other sources, and there is no convincing evidence of alteration in human tissue levels via drinking water cadmium. Human zinc and copper tissue levels are of interest but have not been adequately studied in relation to drinking water levels.

  2. Neutron kerma factors, and water equivalence of some tissue substitutes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, V. P.; Badiger, N. M.; Vega C, H. R.

    2014-08-01

    The kerma factors and kerma relative to air and water of 24 compounds used as tissue substitutes were calculated for neutron energy from 2.53 x 10 -8 up to 29 MeV. The kerma ratio of the tissue substitutes relative to air and water were calculated by the ratio of kerma factors of the tissue substitute to air and water respectively. The water equivalence of the selected tissue substitutes was observed above neutron energies 100 eV. Kerma ratio relative to the air for Poly-vinylidene fluoride and Teflon are found to be nearest to unity in very low energy (up to 1 eV) and above 63 eV respectively. It was found that the natural rubber as a water equivalent tissue substitute compound. The results of the kerma factors in our investigation shows a very good agreement with those published in ICRU-44. We found that at higher neutron energies, the kerma factors and kerma ratios of the selected tissue substitute compounds are approximately same, but differences are large for energies below 100 eV. (Author)

  3. Preliminary study of coconut water for graft tissues preservation in transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    César, Jorge Miguel Schettino; Petroianu, Andy; Vasconcelos, Leonardo de Souza; Cardoso, Valbert Nascimento; Mota, Luciene das Graças; Barbosa, Alfredo José Afonso; Soares, Cristina Duarte Vianna; de Oliveira, Amanda Lima

    2015-01-01

    to verify the effectiveness of coconut water in preserving tissues for transplant. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in five groups, according to the following preservation solutions for tissue grafts: Group 1: Lactated Ringer; Group 2: Belzer solution; Group 3: mature coconut water; Group 4: green coconut water; Group 5: modified coconut water. In Group 5, the green coconut water has been modified like the Belzer solution. From each animal we harvested the spleen, ovaries and skin of the back segment. These tissues were preserved for six hours in one of the solutions. Then, the grafts were reimplanted. The recovery of the function of the implanted tissues was assessed 90 days after surgery, by splenic scintigraphy and blood exam. The implanted tissues were collected for histopathological examination. The serum levels did not differ among groups, except for the animals in Group 5, which showed higher levels of IgG than Group 1, and differences in relation to FSH between groups 1 and 2 (p coconut water (p coconut water-based solutions preserves spleen, ovary, and rat skin for six hours, maintaining their normal function.

  4. Preliminary study of coconut water for graft tissues preservation in transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Miguel Schettino César

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to verify the effectiveness of coconut water in preserving tissues for transplant. METHODS: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly distributed in five groups, according to the following preservation solutions for tissue grafts: Group 1: Lactated Ringer; Group 2: Belzer solution; Group 3: mature coconut water; Group 4: green coconut water; Group 5: modified coconut water. In Group 5, the green coconut water has been modified like the Belzer solution. From each animal we harvasted the spleen, ovaries and skin of the back segment. These tissues were preserved for six hours in one of the solutions. Then, the grafts were reimplanted. The recovery of the function of the implanted tissues was assessed 90 days after surgery, by splenic scintigraphy and blood exame. The implanted tissues were collected for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The serum levels did not differ among groups, except for the animals in Group 5, which showed higher levels of IgG than Group 1, and differences in relation to FSH between groups 1 and 2 (p <0.001, 4 and 2 (p = 0.03 and 5 and 2 (p = 0.01. The splenic scintigraphy was not different between groups. The ovarian tissue was better preserved in mature coconut water (p <0.007. CONCLUSION: the coconut water-based solutions preserves spleen, ovary, and rat skin for six hours, maintaining their normal function.

  5. Biophysical properties and functional significance of stem water storage tissues in Neotropical savanna trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    F.G. Scholz; S.J. Bucci; G. Goldstein; F.C. Meinzer; A.C. Franco; F. Miralles-Wilhelm

    2007-01-01

    Biophysical characteristics of sapwood and outer parenchyma water storage compartments were studied in stems of eight dominant Brazilian Cerrado tree species to assess the impact of differences in tissue capacitance on whole-plant water relations. Both the sapwood and outer parenchyma tissues played an important role in regulation of internal water deficits of Cerrado...

  6. Tritium content in tissue free water of Japanese bodies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ujeno, Y.; Yamamoto, K.; Aoki, T.; Kurihara, N.

    1986-01-01

    The tritium content of tissue free water was measured in fresh, non-diseased organs (brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and muscle) removed by forensic autopsy from 4 male and 4 female bodies. Tissue free water was extracted by freeze drying and distillation and tritium measured in the absence of background radon gas. A typical count was approximately 2.70 cpm. The mean tritium content of tissue free water in all the organs examined was 2.50 + - 0.67 Bq.1/sup -1/ (67.6 + -18.2 pCi1/sup -1/). This value was much lower than that obtained for tissues from Italian bodies: the value was, however, similar to that obtained for tap water (70.2 + -28.0 pCi.1/sup -1/), rain water (77.8 + - 47.4 pCi.1/sup -1/) and tissue free water of foods (55.6 + - 26.2 pCi.1/sup -1/).

  7. Geochemistry of water in relation to cardiovascular disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-01-01

    Relations between trace and major element chemistry of drinking water and cardiovascular diseases are reviewed and documented. Several aspects of the problem, related both to the pathway that drinking water takes to man and to its transit through man, are reviewed. Several steps in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease that could be affected by water factors were explored. There is little evidence bearing on the contribution from drinking water to human tissue levels of cadmium, chromium, or zinc. Copper and magnesium levels of tissues may be related to drinking water, but confirmatory evidence is needed. Lead levels in blood and other tissues are most certainly affected by lead levels in drinking water in areas where these levels are unusually elevated. There is little evidence that relatively low levels of lead are toxic to the cardiovascular system, except for the causation of cardiomyopathy. The protective action of selenium and zinc applies mainly to cadmium toxicity. The mode of the protective action of silicon, if any, is unclear at present. Some epidemiological associations between the cadmium level or cadmium:zinc ratio and cardiovascular disease have been reported, but are contradictory. Some epidemiological support exists for a protective effect by selenium; results for zinc are equivocal. Interactions within the human system involving calcium and selected trace elements might be very important for the cardiovascular system. Review of the epidemiological literature indicates that there may be a water factor associated with cardiovascular disease. Its effects, if any, must be very weak in comparison with the effects of known risk factors. The reported inverse relationship between mortality from cardiovascular diseases and hardness of local drinking water supplies appears to be considerably less distinctive in small regional studies. (ERB)

  8. Range-energy relations and stopping power of water, water vapour and tissue equivalent liquid for α particles over the energy range 0.5 to 8 MeV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palmer, R.B.J.; Akhavan-Rezayat, Ahmad

    1978-01-01

    Experimental range-energy relations are presented for alpha particles in water, water vapour and tissue equivalent liquid at energies up to 8 MeV. From these relations differential stopping powers are derived at 0.25 MeV energy intervals. Consideration is given to sources of error in the range-energy measurements and to the uncertainties that these will introduce into the stopping power values. The ratio of the differential stopping power of muscle equivalent liquid to that of water over the energy range 0.5 to 7.5 MeV is discussed in relation to the specific gravity and chemical composition of the muscle equivalent liquid. Theoretical molecular stopping power calculations based upon the Bethe formula are also presented for water. The effect of phase upon the stopping power of water is discussed. The molecular stopping power of water vapour is shown to be significantly higher than that of water for energies below 1.25 MeV and above 2.5 MeV, the ratio of the two stopping powers rising to 1.39 at 0.5 MeV and to 1.13 at 7.0 MeV. Stopping power measurements for other liquids and vapours are compared with the results for water and water vapour and some are observed to have stopping power ratios in the vapour and liquid phases which vary with energy in a similar way to water. It is suggested that there may be several factors contributing to the increased stopping power of liquids. The need for further experimental results on a wider range of liquids is stressed

  9. Tissue free water tritium separation from foodstuffs by azeotropic distillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Constantin, F.; Ciubotaru, A.; Popa, D.

    1998-01-01

    In this paper the tritium separation from tissue free water in foodstuffs by azeotropic distillation is described. Tritium in tissue water is assayed by liquid scintillation counting using well-established quenched correction method. The mean value of the tritium concentration in tissue water from foodstuffs is about 6-12 Bq/l very similar to the tritium mean concentration measured in the surface waters of the area where the samples have been collected (about 12 Bq/l. Therefore, the tritium content in the water fraction of the food samples can be considered in equilibrium with the local environmental water sources. The azeotropic distillation it is an accessible separation method which does not need a sophisticated and expansive distillation apparatus. It is a fast method of separation tissue free water from foodstuffs being very important in the surveillance activity of the environmental within nuclear electric plant. It is suitable for processing a small quantity of samples and for a production type facility when a large number of samples must be processed because the solvent can be purified and reused. The azeotropic distillation has some limits being used to separate water from samples with high content of water (85-90%) and simple a simple chemical structures as: vegetables, fruits, cereal, soil, vegetation. According to the results obtained, the organic substituents of milk, wine, meat (casein, lactose, milk fat, alcohol, esters) may enhance the chemisorption of tritium on through exchange organic hydrogen as -OH, -SH, -NH, -COOH with tritium. Also, the tissue water separation by azeotropic distillation is not complete and can not guarantee the absence of the vaporization isotope effect of the HTO/H 2 O system., However, the azeotropic distillation is the preferred method of the water extraction from food samples, which makes it useful for the tritium transfer from soil to foodstuffs. (authors)

  10. Tissue free water tritium separation from foodstuffs by azeotropic distillation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Constantin, F; Ciubotaru, A; Popa, D [Inspectorate of Public Health of Bucharest (Romania)

    1999-12-31

    In this paper the tritium separation from tissue free water in foodstuffs by azeotropic distillation is described. Tritium in tissue water is assayed by liquid scintillation counting using well-established quenched correction method. The mean value of the tritium concentration in tissue water from foodstuffs is about 6-12 Bq/l very similar to the tritium mean concentration measured in the surface waters of the area where the samples have been collected (about 12 Bq/l. Therefore, the tritium content in the water fraction of the food samples can be considered in equilibrium with the local environmental water sources. The azeotropic distillation it is an accessible separation method which does not need a sophisticated and expansive distillation apparatus. It is a fast method of separation tissue free water from foodstuffs being very important in the surveillance activity of the environmental within nuclear electric plant. It is suitable for processing a small quantity of samples and for a production type facility when a large number of samples must be processed because the solvent can be purified and reused. The azeotropic distillation has some limits being used to separate water from samples with high content of water (85-90%) and simple a simple chemical structures as: vegetables, fruits, cereal, soil, vegetation. According to the results obtained, the organic substituents of milk, wine, meat (casein, lactose, milk fat, alcohol, esters) may enhance the chemisorption of tritium on through exchange organic hydrogen as -OH, -SH, -NH, -COOH with tritium. Also, the tissue water separation by azeotropic distillation is not complete and can not guarantee the absence of the vaporization isotope effect of the HTO/H{sub 2}O system., However, the azeotropic distillation is the preferred method of the water extraction from food samples, which makes it useful for the tritium transfer from soil to foodstuffs. (authors) 2 tabs.

  11. The effect of sealer and water storage on permanent deformation of a tissue conditioner

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    Rafael Leonardo Xediek Consani

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available When they are used to treat inflamed, irritated, or distorted tissues or in implant therapy, tissue conditioners are required to function over relatively long time periods. Purpose: This in vitro study evaluated the effect of sealer and water storage on permanent deformation one tissue conditioner. Material and methods: Sixty cylindrically-shaped specimens (12.7-mm diameter 3 19.0-mm height were used for the deformation tests. Specimens were divided into 6 test groups (n=10, according to surface treatment (sealer application and water storage (1 hour, 1 week and 2 weeks. Permanent deformation, expressed as a percent (%, was determined using ADA specification no. 18. Data were examined a analysis of variance and a Mann-Whitney test (a= 0.05. Results: Significant differences were observed only after 1 week of water storage, for both groups. The surface treated group presented the highest permanent deformation percentage. Conclusions: This in vitro study indicated that the tissue conditioner evaluated is only useful for 1 week. After this period, the material must be replaced.

  12. Tritium metabolism in rat tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, H.

    1982-01-01

    As part of a series of studies designed to evaluate the relative radiotoxicity of various tritiated compounds, metabolism of tritium in rat tissues was studied after administration of tritiated water, leucine, thymidine, and glucose. The distribution and retention of tritium varied widely, depending on the chemical compound administered. Tritium introduced as tritiated water behaved essentially as body water and became uniformly distributed among the tissues. However, tritium administered as organic compounds resulted in relatively high incorporation into tissue constituents other than water, and its distribution differed among the various tissues. Moreover, the excretion rate of tritium from tissues was slower for tritiated organic compounds than for tritiated water. Administrationof tritiated organic compounds results in higher radiation doses to the tissues than does administration of tritiated water. Among the tritiated compounds examined, for equal radioactivity administered, leucine gave the highest radiation dose, followed in turn by thymidine, glucose, and water. (author)

  13. Effect of soil and water environment on typeability of PowerPlex Y (Promega) in selected tissue samples.

    OpenAIRE

    Ewa Koc-Zorawska; Jerzy Janica; Malgorzata Skawronska; Jacek Robert Janica; Witold Pepinski; Anna Niemcunowicz-Janica; Ireneusz Stolyszewski

    2008-01-01

    In cases of decomposed bodies Y chromosomal STR markers may be useful in identification of a male relative. The authors assessed typeability PowerPlex Y (Promega) loci in tissue material stored in water and soil environment. Tissue material was collected during autopsies of five persons aged 20-30 years with time of death determined within the limit of 14 hours. Heart muscle, liver and lung specimens were stored in pond water, sea water, sand and peat soil. DNA was extracted by organic method...

  14. Investigation of real tissue water equivalent path lengths using an efficient dose extinction method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Rongxiao; Baer, Esther; Jee, Kyung-Wook; Sharp, Gregory C.; Flanz, Jay; Lu, Hsiao-Ming

    2017-07-01

    For proton therapy, an accurate conversion of CT HU to relative stopping power (RSP) is essential. Validation of the conversion based on real tissue samples is more direct than the current practice solely based on tissue substitutes and can potentially address variations over the population. Based on a novel dose extinction method, we measured water equivalent path lengths (WEPL) on animal tissue samples to evaluate the accuracy of CT HU to RSP conversion and potential variations over a population. A broad proton beam delivered a spread out Bragg peak to the samples sandwiched between a water tank and a 2D ion-chamber detector. WEPLs of the samples were determined from the transmission dose profiles measured as a function of the water level in the tank. Tissue substitute inserts and Lucite blocks with known WEPLs were used to validate the accuracy. A large number of real tissue samples were measured. Variations of WEPL over different batches of tissue samples were also investigated. The measured WEPLs were compared with those computed from CT scans with the Stoichiometric calibration method. WEPLs were determined within  ±0.5% percentage deviation (% std/mean) and  ±0.5% error for most of the tissue surrogate inserts and the calibration blocks. For biological tissue samples, percentage deviations were within  ±0.3%. No considerable difference (extinction measurement took around 5 min to produce ~1000 WEPL values to be compared with calculations. This dose extinction system measures WEPL efficiently and accurately, which allows the validation of CT HU to RSP conversions based on the WEPL measured for a large number of samples and real tissues.

  15. Extensive tissue-specific transcriptomic plasticity in maize primary roots upon water deficit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Opitz, Nina; Marcon, Caroline; Paschold, Anja; Malik, Waqas Ahmed; Lithio, Andrew; Brandt, Ronny; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Nettleton, Dan; Hochholdinger, Frank

    2016-02-01

    Water deficit is the most important environmental constraint severely limiting global crop growth and productivity. This study investigated early transcriptome changes in maize (Zea mays L.) primary root tissues in response to moderate water deficit conditions by RNA-Sequencing. Differential gene expression analyses revealed a high degree of plasticity of the water deficit response. The activity status of genes (active/inactive) was determined by a Bayesian hierarchical model. In total, 70% of expressed genes were constitutively active in all tissues. In contrast, deficit-responsive genes (1915) were consistently regulated in all tissues, while >75% (1501 genes) were specifically regulated in a single root tissue. Water deficit-responsive genes were most numerous in the cortex of the mature root zone and in the elongation zone. The most prominent functional categories among differentially expressed genes in all tissues were 'transcriptional regulation' and 'hormone metabolism', indicating global reprogramming of cellular metabolism as an adaptation to water deficit. Additionally, the most significant transcriptomic changes in the root tip were associated with cell wall reorganization, leading to continued root growth despite water deficit conditions. This study provides insight into tissue-specific water deficit responses and will be a resource for future genetic analyses and breeding strategies to develop more drought-tolerant maize cultivars. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  16. Coping with gravity: the foliar water relations of giant sequoia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Cameron B; Reese Næsborg, Rikke; Dawson, Todd E

    2017-10-01

    In tall trees, the mechanisms by which foliage maintains sufficient turgor pressure and water content against height-related constraints remain poorly understood. Pressure-volume curves generated from leafy shoots collected crown-wide from 12 large Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindley) J. Buchholz (giant sequoia) trees provided mechanistic insights into how the components of water potential vary with height in tree and over time. The turgor loss point (TLP) decreased with height at a rate indistinguishable from the gravitational potential gradient and was controlled by changes in tissue osmotica. For all measured shoots, total relative water content at the TLP remained above 75%. This high value has been suggested to help leaves avoid precipitous declines in leaf-level physiological function, and in giant sequoia was controlled by both tissue elasticity and the balance of water between apoplasm and symplasm. Hydraulic capacitance decreased only slightly with height, but importantly this parameter was nearly double in value to that reported for other tree species. Total water storage capacity also decreased with height, but this trend essentially disappeared when considering only water available within the typical range of water potentials experienced by giant sequoia. From summer to fall measurement periods we did not observe osmotic adjustment that would depress the TLP. Instead we observed a proportional shift of water into less mobile apoplastic compartments leading to a reduction in hydraulic capacitance. This collection of foliar traits allows giant sequoia to routinely, but safely, operate close to its TLP, and suggests that gravity plays a major role in the water relations of Earth's largest tree species. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Availability of water affects renewal of tissues in migratory blackcaps during stopover.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizrahy, Ortal; Bauchinger, Ulf; Aamidor, Sarah E; McWilliams, Scott R; Pinshow, Berry

    2011-09-01

    Migrating blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) were used to test the predictions that (1) the rebuilding of the digestive tract, as reflected by mass-specific consumption of food on the first 2-3 days of a stopover, is faster in birds with access to drinking water than in birds without, and (2) that adipose tissue and pectoral muscles grow faster and to a greater extent in birds with unlimited access to water. We simulated migratory stopover in two experiments. In Experiment I, each of 31 birds was randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups for 6 days. Along with mealworms (∼64% water) ad libitum, Group 1 received drinking water ad libitum; Group 2 had 0.5 h/day access to water; and Group 3 had no access to water. In Experiment II, 30 birds were offered a mixed diet for insectivorous birds (∼33% water) ad libitum for 6 days, while randomly assigned to two groups: (1) Water ad libitum-control; and (2) 30 min access to water twice a day. We measured lean mass and fat mass using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, as well as body mass (m(b)), pectoral muscle index (PMI), and daily intake of food and water. Mean daily water intake was significantly different among the groups in both experiments. However, the availability of drinking water positively affected the rates of gain of lean and fat mass only in birds fed with the mixed, relatively dry diet. Furthermore, mass-specific daily food intake was affected by the availability of drinking water only in the mixed diet experiment, in which birds with unlimited access to drinking water reached an asymptote, 1 day earlier than birds in the water-restricted group. We suggest that in birds consuming diets with low water content, the lack of sufficient drinking water may result in slower rebuilding of the digestive tract, or may influence biochemical processes in the gut that result in slower growth of tissue. Although blackcaps obtained sufficient water from preformed and metabolic water to renew lost tissues when

  18. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimplet, Jerome; Deluc, Laurent G; Tillett, Richard L; Wheatley, Matthew D; Schlauch, Karen A; Cramer, Grant R; Cushman, John C

    2007-01-01

    Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera) contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed) all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin) and mesocarp (pulp), not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater) differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell wall function and

  19. Tissue-specific mRNA expression profiling in grape berry tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cramer Grant R

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Berries of grape (Vitis vinifera contain three major tissue types (skin, pulp and seed all of which contribute to the aroma, color, and flavor characters of wine. The pericarp, which is composed of the exocarp (skin and mesocarp (pulp, not only functions to protect and feed the developing seed, but also to assist in the dispersal of the mature seed by avian and mammalian vectors. The skin provides volatile and nonvolatile aroma and color compounds, the pulp contributes organic acids and sugars, and the seeds provide condensed tannins, all of which are important to the formation of organoleptic characteristics of wine. In order to understand the transcriptional network responsible for controlling tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns, mRNA expression profiling was conducted on each tissue of mature berries of V. vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Vitis oligonucleotide microarray ver. 1.0. In order to monitor the influence of water-deficit stress on tissue-specific expression patterns, mRNA expression profiles were also compared from mature berries harvested from vines subjected to well-watered or water-deficit conditions. Results Overall, berry tissues were found to express approximately 76% of genes represented on the Vitis microarray. Approximately 60% of these genes exhibited significant differential expression in one or more of the three major tissue types with more than 28% of genes showing pronounced (2-fold or greater differences in mRNA expression. The largest difference in tissue-specific expression was observed between the seed and pulp/skin. Exocarp tissue, which is involved in pathogen defense and pigment production, showed higher mRNA abundance relative to other berry tissues for genes involved with flavonoid biosynthesis, pathogen resistance, and cell wall modification. Mesocarp tissue, which is considered a nutritive tissue, exhibited a higher mRNA abundance of genes involved in cell

  20. Bioheat model evaluations of laser effects on tissues: role of water evaporation and diffusion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagulapally, Deepthi; Joshi, Ravi P.; Thomas, Robert J.

    2011-03-01

    A two-dimensional, time-dependent bioheat model is applied to evaluate changes in temperature and water content in tissues subjected to laser irradiation. Our approach takes account of liquid-to-vapor phase changes and a simple diffusive flow of water within the biotissue. An energy balance equation considers blood perfusion, metabolic heat generation, laser absorption, and water evaporation. The model also accounts for the water dependence of tissue properties (both thermal and optical), and variations in blood perfusion rates based on local tissue injury. Our calculations show that water diffusion would reduce the local temperature increases and hot spots in comparison to simple models that ignore the role of water in the overall thermal and mass transport. Also, the reduced suppression of perfusion rates due to tissue heating and damage with water diffusion affect the necrotic depth. Two-dimensional results for the dynamic temperature, water content, and damage distributions will be presented for skin simulations. It is argued that reduction in temperature gradients due to water diffusion would mitigate local refractive index variations, and hence influence the phenomenon of thermal lensing. Finally, simple quantitative evaluations of pressure increases within the tissue due to laser absorption are presented.

  1. The cellular environment of cancerous human tissue. Interfacial and dangling water as a "hydration fingerprint".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abramczyk, Halina; Brozek-Pluska, Beata; Krzesniak, Marta; Kopec, Monika; Morawiec-Sztandera, Alina

    2014-08-14

    Despite a large number of publications, the role of water in the cellular environment of biological tissue has not been clarified. Characterizing the biological interface is a key challenge in understanding the interactions of water in the tissue. Although we often assume that the properties of the bulk water can be translated to the crowded biological environment, this approach must be considerably revised when considering the biological interface. To our knowledge, few studies have directly monitored the interactions and accumulation of water in the restricted environments of the biological tissue upon realistic crowding conditions. The present study focuses on a molecular picture of water molecules at the biological interface, or specifically, water molecules adjacent to the hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces of normal and cancerous tissues. We recorded and analyzed the IR and Raman spectra of the νs(OH) stretching modes of water at the biological interfaces of the human breast and neck tissues. The results revealed dramatic changes in the water content in the tissue and are potentially relevant to both the fundamental problems of interfacial water modeling and the molecular diagnostics of cancer as a 'hydration fingerprint'. Herein, we will discuss the origin of the vibrational substructures observed for the νs(OH) stretching modes of water, showing that the interfacial water interacting via H-bond with other water molecules and biomolecules at the biological surface and free OH vibration of the dangling water are sensitive indicators of the pathology between the normal (noncancerous) and cancerous tissue and cancer types. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Plasticity in leaf-level water relations of tropical rainforest trees in response to experimental drought.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binks, Oliver; Meir, Patrick; Rowland, Lucy; da Costa, Antonio Carlos Lola; Vasconcelos, Steel Silva; de Oliveira, Alex Antonio Ribeiro; Ferreira, Leandro; Christoffersen, Bradley; Nardini, Andrea; Mencuccini, Maurizio

    2016-07-01

    The tropics are predicted to become warmer and drier, and understanding the sensitivity of tree species to drought is important for characterizing the risk to forests of climate change. This study makes use of a long-term drought experiment in the Amazon rainforest to evaluate the role of leaf-level water relations, leaf anatomy and their plasticity in response to drought in six tree genera. The variables (osmotic potential at full turgor, turgor loss point, capacitance, elastic modulus, relative water content and saturated water content) were compared between seasons and between plots (control and through-fall exclusion) enabling a comparison between short- and long-term plasticity in traits. Leaf anatomical traits were correlated with water relation parameters to determine whether water relations differed among tissues. The key findings were: osmotic adjustment occurred in response to the long-term drought treatment; species resistant to drought stress showed less osmotic adjustment than drought-sensitive species; and water relation traits were correlated with tissue properties, especially the thickness of the abaxial epidermis and the spongy mesophyll. These findings demonstrate that cell-level water relation traits can acclimate to long-term water stress, and highlight the limitations of extrapolating the results of short-term studies to temporal scales associated with climate change. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  3. Phase analysis of circadian-related genes in two tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Leping

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recent circadian clock studies using gene expression microarray in two different tissues of mouse have revealed not all circadian-related genes are synchronized in phase or peak expression times across tissues in vivo. Instead, some circadian-related genes may be delayed by 4–8 hrs in peak expression in one tissue relative to the other. These interesting biological observations prompt a statistical question regarding how to distinguish the synchronized genes from genes that are systematically lagged in phase/peak expression time across two tissues. Results We propose a set of techniques from circular statistics to analyze phase angles of circadian-related genes in two tissues. We first estimate the phases of a cycling gene separately in each tissue, which are then used to estimate the paired angular difference of the phase angles of the gene in the two tissues. These differences are modeled as a mixture of two von Mises distributions which enables us to cluster genes into two groups; one group having synchronized transcripts with the same phase in the two tissues, the other containing transcripts with a discrepancy in phase between the two tissues. For each cluster of genes we assess the association of phases across the tissue types using circular-circular regression. We also develop a bootstrap methodology based on a circular-circular regression model to evaluate the improvement in fit provided by allowing two components versus a one-component von-Mises model. Conclusion We applied our proposed methodologies to the circadian-related genes common to heart and liver tissues in Storch et al. 2, and found that an estimated 80% of circadian-related transcripts common to heart and liver tissues were synchronized in phase, and the other 20% of transcripts were lagged about 8 hours in liver relative to heart. The bootstrap p-value for being one cluster is 0.063, which suggests the possibility of two clusters. Our methodologies can

  4. Assessment of heavy metal residues in water, fish tissue and human ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    MICHAEL HORSFALL

    ABSTRACT: Residual levels of lead, chromium, cadmium and zinc in water and fish tissue from. Ubeji River ... Key Words : Heavy metal residues , Fish tissue, Human blood, Ubeji River. ... is of critical concern because of their toxicity and.

  5. The prediction of blood-tissue partitions, water-skin partitions and skin permeation for agrochemicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraham, Michael H; Gola, Joelle M R; Ibrahim, Adam; Acree, William E; Liu, Xiangli

    2014-07-01

    There is considerable interest in the blood-tissue distribution of agrochemicals, and a number of researchers have developed experimental methods for in vitro distribution. These methods involve the determination of saline-blood and saline-tissue partitions; not only are they indirect, but they do not yield the required in vivo distribution. The authors set out equations for gas-tissue and blood-tissue distribution, for partition from water into skin and for permeation from water through human skin. Together with Abraham descriptors for the agrochemicals, these equations can be used to predict values for all of these processes. The present predictions compare favourably with experimental in vivo blood-tissue distribution where available. The predictions require no more than simple arithmetic. The present method represents a much easier and much more economic way of estimating blood-tissue partitions than the method that uses saline-blood and saline-tissue partitions. It has the added advantages of yielding the required in vivo partitions and being easily extended to the prediction of partition of agrochemicals from water into skin and permeation from water through skin. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Calculating Error Percentage in Using Water Phantom Instead of Soft Tissue Concerning 103Pd Brachytherapy Source Distribution via Monte Carlo Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    OL Ahmadi

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: 103Pd is a low energy source, which is used in brachytherapy. According to the standards of American Association of Physicists in Medicine, dosimetric parameters determination of brachytherapy sources before the clinical application was considered significantly important. Therfore, the present study aimed to compare the dosimetric parameters of the target source using the water phantom and soft tissue. Methods: According to the TG-43U1 protocol, the dosimetric parameters were compared around the 103Pd source in regard with water phantom with the density of 0.998 gr/cm3 and the soft tissue with the density of 1.04 gr/cm3 on the longitudinal and transverse axes using the MCNP4C code and the relative differences were compared between the both conditions. Results: The simulation results indicated that the dosimetric parameters depended on the radial dose function and the anisotropy function in the application of the water phantom instead of soft tissue up to a distance of 1.5 cm,  between which a good consistency was observed. With increasing the distance, the difference increased, so as within 6 cm from the source, this difference increased to 4%. Conclusions: The results of  the soft tissue phantom compared with those of the water phantom indicated 4% relative difference at a distance of 6 cm from the source. Therefore, the results of the water phantom with a maximum error of 4% can be used in practical applications instead of soft tissue. Moreover, the amount of differences obtained in each distance regarding using the soft tissue phantom could be corrected.

  7. Measurement of tritium in tissue free water of pine needles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng Xiaomin; Wu Zongmei

    1993-01-01

    Tissue Free Water (TFW) of pine needles is separated out through azeotropic distillation of pine needles and toluene. Recovery ratio of TFW is 90%. Tritium activity in the needles is 1.8 Bq/L(H 2 O), which is of the same level with tritiated water vapour (HTO) in atmosphere during the corresponding period

  8. Detection of Flavobacterium psychrophilum from fish tissue and water samples by PCR amplification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wiklund, T.; Madsen, Lone; Bruun, Morten Sichlau

    2000-01-01

    investigation, the possible detection of Fl. psychrophilum from fish tissue and water samples was examined using nested PCR with DNA probes against a sequence of the 16S rRNA genes. The DNA was extracted using Chelex(R) 100 chelating resin. The primers, which were tested against strains isolated from diseased...... fish, healthy fish, fish farm environments and reference strains, proved to be specific for Fl. psychrophilum. The obtained detection limit of Fl. psychrophilum seeded into rainbow trout brain tissue was 0.4 cfu in the PCR tube, corresponding to 17 cfu mg(-1) brain tissue. The PCR-assay proved...... to be more sensitive than agar cultivation of tissue samples from the brain of rainbow trout injected with Fl. psychrophilum. In non-sterile fresh water seeded with Fl. psychrophilum the detection limit of the PCR- assay was 1.7 cfu in the PCR tube, corresponding to 110 cfu ml(-1) water. The PCR...

  9. Tissue radionuclide concentrations in water birds and upland birds on the Hanford Site (USA) from 1971-2009

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delistraty, Damon; Van Verst, Scott

    2011-01-01

    from 1971-2009. → Median concentrations ranged from non-detect to 810 Bq/kg. → Onsite median concentrations higher in water birds than upland birds for Cs-137 and Sr-90. → Differences may relate to species differences in behavior, habitat, or diet. → Spatial, temporal, and tissue variation observed in radionuclide concentrations.

  10. Tissue radionuclide concentrations in water birds and upland birds on the Hanford Site (USA) from 1971-2009

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delistraty, Damon, E-mail: DDEL461@ecy.wa.gov [Washington State Department of Ecology, N. 4601 Monroe Street, Spokane, WA 99205-1295 (United States); Van Verst, Scott [Washington State Department of Health, Olympia, WA (United States)

    2011-08-15

    from 1971-2009. > Median concentrations ranged from non-detect to 810 Bq/kg. > Onsite median concentrations higher in water birds than upland birds for Cs-137 and Sr-90. > Differences may relate to species differences in behavior, habitat, or diet. > Spatial, temporal, and tissue variation observed in radionuclide concentrations.

  11. Magnetization transfer from macromolecules to water protons in murine dental tissues as revealed by 500 MHz 1H-NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Koji; Era, Seiichi; Nagai, Naoki; Sogami, Masaru; Takasaki, Akihiko; Kato, Kazuo.

    1997-01-01

    Although much is known about magnetization transfer phenomena in biological soft tissues, little is known about those in hard tissues. Using a 500 MHz 1 H-NMR spectrometer, we studied the spin-lattice relaxation time (T 1 (H 2 O)) and the intermolecular cross-relaxation times (T IS (H 2 O)) from irradiated macromolecular protons to observed water protons in murine lower incisors (hard tissue) and compared with those in murine lens tissue (soft tissue). Mean values for the water content (%) of murine lower incisors and lens tissue were 16.02±2.39 (n=14) and 67.20±4.60 (n=15), respectively. These findings were consistent with the large different in water content between soft tissues and hard tissues. T IS (H 2 O) values obtained by f 2 -irradiation at 7.13 or -4.00 ppm showed no significant difference between lower incisors and lens tissue. Plots of 1/T IS (H 2 O) values vs. tissue dry weight (W(%)) for lower incisor tissue approximated a straight line with slope approximately equal for that obtained for lens tissue. These results suggest that the state of water in hard tissue may be similar to that in soft tissues, in spite of the significant difference in water content. Thus, saturation transfer NMR techniques such as measurement of T IS (H 2 O) values may be applicable to the study of water-macromolecule interactions in both biological soft and hard tissues. (author)

  12. Effect of soil and water environment on typeability of PowerPlex Y (Promega) in selected tissue samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niemcunowicz-Janica, Anna; Pepinski, Witold; Janica, Jacek Robert; Skawronska, Malgorzata; Janica, Jerzy; Koc-Zorawska, Ewa; Stolyszewski, Ireneusz

    2007-01-01

    In cases of decomposed bodies Y chromosomal STR markers may be useful in identification of a male relative. The authors assessed typeability PowerPlex Y (Promega) loci in tissue material stored in water and soil environment. Tissue material was collected during autopsies of five persons aged 20-30 years with time of death determined within the limit of 14 hours. Heart muscle, liver and lung specimens were stored in pond water, sea water, sand and peat soil. DNA was extracted by organic method from tissue samples collected in 7-day intervals. Liver specimens were typeable in all PowerPlex Y loci within 100 days of storage in pond water with gradual decline at DYS392 in sea water. Heart muscle specimens stored in pond water exhibited allelic loss at DYS19, DYS385, DYS389II and DYS392, while all loci were typeable in sea water stored samples. For lung specimens allelic loss was noted throughout the profile. Storage of liver specimens in peat soil for more than 14 days resulted in allelic drop-out, and after 21 days no profiles were typeable. Heart muscle specimens were typeable in all PowerPlex Y systems after 35-day storage in sand, while allelic drop-out and subsequent lack of profiles were noted after 14 and 35 days respectively. Lung specimens stored in garden soil exhibited allelic drop-out and subsequent lack of profiles after 7 and 21 days, respectively. All PowerPlex Y loci were typeable in the latter material in sand up to day 35 with gradual decline of longer amplicons (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389II and DYS392).

  13. Effect of soil and water environment on typeability of PowerPlex Y (Promega in selected tissue samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Koc-Zorawska

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available In cases of decomposed bodies Y chromosomal STR markers may be useful in identification of a male relative. The authors assessed typeability PowerPlex Y (Promega loci in tissue material stored in water and soil environment. Tissue material was collected during autopsies of five persons aged 20-30 years with time of death determined within the limit of 14 hours. Heart muscle, liver and lung specimens were stored in pond water, sea water, sand and peat soil. DNA was extracted by organic method from tissue samples collected in 7-day intervals. Liver specimens were typeable in all PowerPlex Y loci within 100 days of storage in pond water with gradual decline at DYS392 in sea water. Heart muscle specimens stored in pond water exhibited allelic loss at DYS19, DYS385, DYS389II and DYS392, while all loci were typeable in sea water stored samples. For lung specimens allelic loss was noted throughout the profile. Storage of liver specimens in peat soil for more than 14 days resulted in allelic drop-out, and after 21 days no profiles were typeable. Heart muscle specimens were typeable in all PowerPlex Y systems after 35-day storage in sand, while allelic drop-out and subsequent lack of profiles were noted after 14 and 35 days respectively. Lung specimens stored in garden soil exhibited allelic drop-out and subsequent lack of profiles after 7 and 21 days, respectively. All PowerPlex Y loci were typeable in the latter material in sand up to day 35 with gradual decline of longer amplicons (DYS19, DYS385, DYS389II and DYS392.

  14. Non-invasive tissue temperature measurements based on quantitative diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) of water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, S H [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 209 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Cerussi, A E; Tromberg, B J [Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine, 1002 Health Sciences Road, Irvine 92612, CA (United States); Merritt, S I [Masimo Corporation, 40 Parker, Irvine, CA 92618 (United States); Ruth, J, E-mail: bjtrombe@uci.ed [Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 210 S. 33rd Street, Room 240, Skirkanich Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States)

    2010-07-07

    We describe the development of a non-invasive method for quantitative tissue temperature measurements using Broadband diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS). Our approach is based on well-characterized opposing shifts in near-infrared (NIR) water absorption spectra that appear with temperature and macromolecular binding state. Unlike conventional reflectance methods, DOS is used to generate scattering-corrected tissue water absorption spectra. This allows us to separate the macromolecular bound water contribution from the thermally induced spectral shift using the temperature isosbestic point at 996 nm. The method was validated in intralipid tissue phantoms by correlating DOS with thermistor measurements (R = 0.96) with a difference of 1.1 {+-} 0.91 {sup 0}C over a range of 28-48 {sup 0}C. Once validated, thermal and hemodynamic (i.e. oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentration) changes were measured simultaneously and continuously in human subjects (forearm) during mild cold stress. DOS-measured arm temperatures were consistent with previously reported invasive deep tissue temperature studies. These results suggest that DOS can be used for non-invasive, co-registered measurements of absolute temperature and hemoglobin parameters in thick tissues, a potentially important approach for optimizing thermal diagnostics and therapeutics.

  15. Identification of water storage tissue in the stem of cowpea plant (Vigna unguliculata Walp) by neutron radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakanishi, T.M.; Don-Jin, K.; Ishii, R.; Matsubayashi, M.

    1999-01-01

    Cowpea (Vigna unguliculata Walp) is considered one of the most drought resistant species among the pulse crops. It was suggested that in the lower part of the stem, parenchymatous tissue for storing water has been developed for the function of drought resistance. However, such tissue has not been identified yet. In order to identify the water storing tissue in the stem of cowpea plant, the authors performed neutron radiography, which provides a non-destructive image of water distribution pattern in a plant. Common bean plant and soybean plant were used as references. Comparing the neutron radiograph for the stems of the plants, i.e., cowpea, common bean and soybean plants, the parenchymatous tissue with water storing function was distinguished in the intermode between primary leaf and the first trifoliate leaf specifically in cowpea plant. (author)

  16. An experimental study on tissue damage following subcutaneous injection of water soluble contrast media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Seung Hyup; Park, Jae Hyung; Kang, Heung Sik; Kim, Chu Wan; Han, Man Chung; Kim, Yong Il

    1989-01-01

    The water soluble contrast media cause tissue necrosis infrequently by extravasation during intravenous injection in various radiological examinations. However, it has not been well documented that what kind and what concentration of contrast media can cause tissue necrosis. And also, the mechanism of tissue necrosis by extravasated contrast media has not been well known. The purpose of this experimental study was to evaluate the frequency and severity of tissue damage following subcutaneous injection of various water soluble contrast media to investigate the characteristics of the contrast media acting on the tissue damage, and to provide the basic data for the clinical application. Meglumine ioxithalamate,sodium and meglumine ioxithalamate, iopromide, iopamidol, ioxaglate,meglumine diatrizoate and sodium diatrizoate of various iodine content and osmolality were injected into subcutaneous tissue of the dorsum of 970 feet of 485 rats. The tissue reaction of injection sites were grossly examined with period from 1 day to 8 weeks after the injection. Representative gross changes were correlated with histologic findings. The results were as follows; 1. The basic tissue damage by extravasated contrast media was acute and chronic inflammatory reaction of the soft tissue with subsequent progress into the hemorrhagic and necrotizing lesion. 2. Lager volume of contrast media caused more severe tissue damage. 3. Contrast media of higher osmolality caused more severe tissue damage. 4. At same osmolality, contrast media of higher iodine content caused more severe tissue damage

  17. The effect of KZK pressure equation on the sonoluminescence in water and fat tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gheshlaghi, M.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.; Ghadirifar, A.

    2015-01-01

    The effect of the produced light flashes from sonoluminescence (SL) on the fat tissue and water is studied. By using KZK equation as an essential equation for calculating the thermal source in bio-liquids, the effective bubble parameters in quasi-adiabatic model are calculated and compared in these systems. It is noticed that the temperature and the intensity for fat tissue are about 30% and 38% less than the ones for water respectively. These results are almost in good agreement with the only experimental measurement denoting less SL temperature in bio-liquids which present more suitable condition for using SL in such applications. - Highlights: • Coupling of acoustic pressure and the pressure's KZK equation for using Sonoluminescence equations. • The Sonoluminescence parameters (temperature, pressure and intensity) are calculated and Compared for water and fat tissue. • The high-intensity radiation of Sonoluminescence bubble is used in medical applications

  18. The effect of KZK pressure equation on the sonoluminescence in water and fat tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gheshlaghi, M. [Payame Noor University, P.O.B. 19395-3697, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadighi-Bonabi, R., E-mail: Sadighi@sharif.ir [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, 11365-91, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghadirifar, A. [Islamic Azad University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-09-25

    The effect of the produced light flashes from sonoluminescence (SL) on the fat tissue and water is studied. By using KZK equation as an essential equation for calculating the thermal source in bio-liquids, the effective bubble parameters in quasi-adiabatic model are calculated and compared in these systems. It is noticed that the temperature and the intensity for fat tissue are about 30% and 38% less than the ones for water respectively. These results are almost in good agreement with the only experimental measurement denoting less SL temperature in bio-liquids which present more suitable condition for using SL in such applications. - Highlights: • Coupling of acoustic pressure and the pressure's KZK equation for using Sonoluminescence equations. • The Sonoluminescence parameters (temperature, pressure and intensity) are calculated and Compared for water and fat tissue. • The high-intensity radiation of Sonoluminescence bubble is used in medical applications.

  19. Plant–Water Relations (1): Uptake and Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Summary Plants, like all living things, are mostly water. Water is the matrix of life, and its availability determines the distribution and productivity of plants on earth. Vascular plants evolved structures that enable them to transport water long distances with little input of energy, but the hollow tracheary elements are just one of many adaptations that enable plants to cope with a very dry atmosphere. This lecture examines the physical laws that govern water uptake and transport, the biological properties of cells and plant tissues that facilitate it, and the strategies that enable plants to survive in diverse environments

  20. Steam-water relative permeability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ambusso, W.; Satik, C.; Home, R.N. [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)

    1997-12-31

    A set of relative permeability relations for simultaneous flow of steam and water in porous media have been measured in steady state experiments conducted under the conditions that eliminate most errors associated with saturation and pressure measurements. These relations show that the relative permeabilities for steam-water flow in porous media vary approximately linearly with saturation. This departure from the nitrogen/water behavior indicates that there are fundamental differences between steam/water and nitrogen/water flows. The saturations in these experiments were measured by using a high resolution X-ray computer tomography (CT) scanner. In addition the pressure gradients were obtained from the measurements of liquid phase pressure over the portions with flat saturation profiles. These two aspects constitute a major improvement in the experimental method compared to those used in the past. Comparison of the saturation profiles measured by the X-ray CT scanner during the experiments shows a good agreement with those predicted by numerical simulations. To obtain results that are applicable to general flow of steam and water in porous media similar experiments will be conducted at higher temperature and with porous rocks of different wetting characteristics and porosity distribution.

  1. Dehydration and osmotic adjustment in apple stem tissue during winter as it relates to the frost resistance of buds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pramsohler, Manuel; Neuner, Gilbert

    2013-08-01

    In deciduous trees, measurement of stem water potential can be difficult during the leafless period in winter. By using thermocouple psychrometry, osmotic water potentials (Ψo; actual Ψo: Ψo(act); Ψo at full saturation: Ψo(sat)) of expressed sap of bark and bud tissue were measured in order to test if the severity of winter desiccation in apple stems could be sufficiently assessed with Ψo. Water potentials were related to frost resistance and freezing behaviour of buds. The determination of Ψo reliably allowed winter desiccation and osmotic adjustments in apple stem tissue to be assessed. In winter in bark tissue, a pronounced decrease in Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat) was found. Decreased Ψo(sat) indicates active osmotic adjustment in the bark as observed earlier in the leaves of evergreen woody plants. In terminal bud meristems, no significant osmotic adjustments occurred and dehydration during winter was much less. Osmotic water potentials, Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat), of bud tissue were always less negative than in the bark. To prevent water movement and dehydration of the bud tissue via this osmotic gradient, it must be compensated for either by a sufficiently high turgor pressure (Ψp) in bark tissue or by the isolation of the bud tissue from the bark during midwinter. During freezing of apple buds, freeze dehydration and extra-organ freezing could be demonstrated by significantly reduced Ψo(act) values of bud meristems that had been excised in the frozen state. Infrared video thermography was used to monitor freezing patterns in apple twigs. During extracellular freezing of intact and longitudinally dissected stems, infrared differential thermal analysis (IDTA) images showed that the bud meristem remains ice free. Even if cooled to temperatures below the frost-killing temperature, no freezing event could be detected in bud meristems during winter. In contrast, after bud break, terminal buds showed a second freezing at the frost-killing temperature that indicates

  2. Assessment of complex water pollution with heavy metals and Pyrethroid pesticides on transcript levels of metallothionein and immune related genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghazy, Haneen A; Abdel-Razek, Mohamed A S; El Nahas, Abeer F; Mahmoud, Shawky

    2017-09-01

    Alteration of immunological function of an aquatic organism can be used as an indicator for evaluating the direct effect of exposure to pollutants. The aim of this work is to assess the impact of complex water pollution with special reference to Pyrethroid pesticides and heavy metals on mRNA transcript levels of Metallothionine and some immune related genes of Nile tilapia (Oreochromas Niloticus). Residues of six heavy metals and six Pyrethroid were assessed in water as well as fish tissues at three different sites of Lake Burullus, located at Northern Egypt. Variations of water physicochemical properties associated with different levels of heavy metals at the three different sections were recorded. Tissue residues of Fe, Mn and Zn, Cu, Ni exceed water levels in contrast to elevated water level of Pb. All assessed Pyrethroids are detected in fish tissue samples with higher concentration (3-42 folds) than that found in water samples especially Cypermethrin. Significant down-regulation of expression levels of metallothionein (MT) at the three sections of the lake was observed. The expression of immune related genes (IgM) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF, IL.8 and IL.1) were affected. IgM and TNF were significantly down-regulated at eastern and western section of the lake; meanwhile the expression of IL8 is down regulated at the three sections of the lack. IL1 was significantly up-regulated at eastern and middle sections. We conclude that, variable gene expression of MT and immune-related genes at the three sections of the lack impose different response to complex water pollution in relation to variable aquatic environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Extensive tissue-specific transcriptomic plasticity in maize primary roots upon water deficit

    OpenAIRE

    Opitz, Nina; Marcon, Caroline; Paschold, Anja; Malik, Waqas Ahmed; Lithio, Andrew; Brandt, Ronny; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Nettleton, Dan; Hochholdinger, Frank

    2015-01-01

    Water deficit is the most important environmental constraint severely limiting global crop growth and productivity. This study investigated early transcriptome changes in maize (Zea mays L.) primary root tissues in response to moderate water deficit conditions by RNA-Sequencing. Differential gene expression analyses revealed a high degree of plasticity of the water deficit response. The activity status of genes (active/inactive) was determined by a Bayesian hierarchical model. In total, 70% o...

  4. THE MAIN NUTRIENTS CONCENTRATION FROM INTRA TISSUE WATER OF BENTHOS ORAGANISMS FROM MURES BASIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DANA POPA

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available In the hydrographic basin of Mures river, aboard an altitude gradient, were taken samples of intra tissue waters from benthonic organisms for research the nutrients concentrations. The reference point was represented by a dairy caw farm where the agricultural fields of this is applied the organic fertilization with manure. The intra tissue water samples from benthonic organisms were prelevated in spring and autumn and the prelevate dates are the same with spread manure dates. At the intra tissue water level, concentrations value of N and P are bigger at the second data prelevations than first data prelevations and we can conclude that the benthonic oligochetas activity increase, more than, they density increase in Mures basin. The high concentrations of NH4 show as that Mures basin is a zone characterized by high degree of anoxia and this fact is supported by significant differences between seasonal prelevations. The explication is the manifestation to the cumulated and at distance effects of introduction in water to some organic products, very probably washed from neighborhoods agricultural field. Were calculated values of Student test for seasonal comparisons and were founded significant differences between nutrients concentration values at first and second prelevations.

  5. Inflammation reduces physiological tissue tolerance in the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Ann E; Barbe, Mary F

    2004-02-01

    Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) cause substantial worker discomfort, disability and loss of productivity. Due to the difficulty in analyzing the tissues of patients in the early stages of work-related MSD, there is controversy concerning the pathomechanisms of the development of these disorders. The pathophysiology of work-related MSD can be studied more easily in animal models. The purpose of this review is to relate theories of the development of tissue injury due to repeated motion to findings of recent investigations in animals that address the role of the inflammatory response in propagating tissue injury and contributing to chronic or recurring tissue injury. These tissue effects are related to behavioral indicators of discomfort and movement dysfunction with the aim of clarifying key time points for specific intervention approaches. The results from animal models of MSD are discussed in the light of findings in patients, whose tissues are examined at a much later phase of MSD development. Finally, a conceptual model of the potentially negative impact of inflammation on tissue tolerance is proposed along with suggestions for future research directions.

  6. Technical Note: Radiation properties of tissue- and water-equivalent materials formulated using the stoichiometric analysis method in charged particle therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yohannes, Indra; Vasiliniuc, Stefan [Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen 91054 (Germany); Hild, Sebastian [Faculty of Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany and Department of Biophysics, GSI - Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt 64291 (Germany); Langner, Oliver [QRM - Quality Assurance in Radiology and Medicine GmbH, Möhrendorf 91096 (Germany); Graeff, Christian [Department of Biophysics, GSI - Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt 64291 (Germany); Bert, Christoph, E-mail: christoph.bert@uk-erlangen.de [Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen 91054 (Germany); Faculty of Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054 (Germany); Department of Biophysics, GSI - Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt 64291 (Germany)

    2016-01-15

    Purpose: Five tissue- and water-equivalent materials (TEMs) mimicking ICRU real tissues have been formulated using a previously established stoichiometric analysis method (SAM) to be applied in charged particle therapy. The purpose of this study was an experimental verification of the TEMs-SAM against charged particle beam measurements and for different computed tomography (CT) scanners. The potential of the TEMs-SAM to be employed in the dosimetry was also investigated. Methods: Experimental verification with three CT scanners was carried out to validate the calculated Hounsfield units (HUs) of the TEMs. Water-equivalent path lengths (WEPLs) of the TEMs for proton (106.8 MeV/u), helium (107.93 MeV/u), and carbon (200.3 MeV/u) ions were measured to be compared with the computed relative stopping powers. HU calibration curves were also generated. Results: Differences between the measured HUs of the TEMs and the calculated HUs of the ICRU real tissues for all CT scanners were smaller than 4 HU except for the skeletal tissues which deviated up to 21 HU. The measured WEPLs verified the calculated WEPLs of the TEMs (maximum deviation was 0.17 mm) and were in good agreement with the calculated WEPLs of the ICRU real tissues (maximum deviation was 0.23 mm). Moreover, the relative stopping powers converted from the measured WEPLs differed less than 0.8% and 1.3% from the calculated values of the SAM and the ICRU, respectively. Regarding the relative nonelastic cross section per unit of volume for 200 MeV protons, the ICRU real tissues were generally well represented by the TEMs except for adipose which differed 3.8%. Further, the HU calibration curves yielded the mean and the standard deviation of the errors not larger than 0.5% and 1.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this investigation implied the potential of the TEMs formulated using the SAM to be employed for both, beam dosimetry and HU calibration in charged particle therapy.

  7. Technical Note: Radiation properties of tissue- and water-equivalent materials formulated using the stoichiometric analysis method in charged particle therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yohannes, Indra; Vasiliniuc, Stefan; Hild, Sebastian; Langner, Oliver; Graeff, Christian; Bert, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Five tissue- and water-equivalent materials (TEMs) mimicking ICRU real tissues have been formulated using a previously established stoichiometric analysis method (SAM) to be applied in charged particle therapy. The purpose of this study was an experimental verification of the TEMs-SAM against charged particle beam measurements and for different computed tomography (CT) scanners. The potential of the TEMs-SAM to be employed in the dosimetry was also investigated. Methods: Experimental verification with three CT scanners was carried out to validate the calculated Hounsfield units (HUs) of the TEMs. Water-equivalent path lengths (WEPLs) of the TEMs for proton (106.8 MeV/u), helium (107.93 MeV/u), and carbon (200.3 MeV/u) ions were measured to be compared with the computed relative stopping powers. HU calibration curves were also generated. Results: Differences between the measured HUs of the TEMs and the calculated HUs of the ICRU real tissues for all CT scanners were smaller than 4 HU except for the skeletal tissues which deviated up to 21 HU. The measured WEPLs verified the calculated WEPLs of the TEMs (maximum deviation was 0.17 mm) and were in good agreement with the calculated WEPLs of the ICRU real tissues (maximum deviation was 0.23 mm). Moreover, the relative stopping powers converted from the measured WEPLs differed less than 0.8% and 1.3% from the calculated values of the SAM and the ICRU, respectively. Regarding the relative nonelastic cross section per unit of volume for 200 MeV protons, the ICRU real tissues were generally well represented by the TEMs except for adipose which differed 3.8%. Further, the HU calibration curves yielded the mean and the standard deviation of the errors not larger than 0.5% and 1.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this investigation implied the potential of the TEMs formulated using the SAM to be employed for both, beam dosimetry and HU calibration in charged particle therapy

  8. Technical Note: Radiation properties of tissue- and water-equivalent materials formulated using the stoichiometric analysis method in charged particle therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yohannes, Indra; Hild, Sebastian; Vasiliniuc, Stefan; Langner, Oliver; Graeff, Christian; Bert, Christoph

    2016-01-01

    Five tissue- and water-equivalent materials (TEMs) mimicking ICRU real tissues have been formulated using a previously established stoichiometric analysis method (SAM) to be applied in charged particle therapy. The purpose of this study was an experimental verification of the TEMs-SAM against charged particle beam measurements and for different computed tomography (CT) scanners. The potential of the TEMs-SAM to be employed in the dosimetry was also investigated. Experimental verification with three CT scanners was carried out to validate the calculated Hounsfield units (HUs) of the TEMs. Water-equivalent path lengths (WEPLs) of the TEMs for proton (106.8 MeV/u), helium (107.93 MeV/u), and carbon (200.3 MeV/u) ions were measured to be compared with the computed relative stopping powers. HU calibration curves were also generated. Differences between the measured HUs of the TEMs and the calculated HUs of the ICRU real tissues for all CT scanners were smaller than 4 HU except for the skeletal tissues which deviated up to 21 HU. The measured WEPLs verified the calculated WEPLs of the TEMs (maximum deviation was 0.17 mm) and were in good agreement with the calculated WEPLs of the ICRU real tissues (maximum deviation was 0.23 mm). Moreover, the relative stopping powers converted from the measured WEPLs differed less than 0.8% and 1.3% from the calculated values of the SAM and the ICRU, respectively. Regarding the relative nonelastic cross section per unit of volume for 200 MeV protons, the ICRU real tissues were generally well represented by the TEMs except for adipose which differed 3.8%. Further, the HU calibration curves yielded the mean and the standard deviation of the errors not larger than 0.5% and 1.9%, respectively. The results of this investigation implied the potential of the TEMs formulated using the SAM to be employed for both, beam dosimetry and HU calibration in charged particle therapy.

  9. Radiopharmaceuticals for localization in target tissues exhibiting a regional pH shift relative to surrounding tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blau, M.; Kung, H.F.

    1981-01-01

    This patent relates to the preparation and use of radiopharmaceutical chemical compounds comprising a radioactive isotope, other than an isotope of iodine, in chemical combination with at least one primary, secondary or tertiary amino group. The compounds have a lipophilicity sufficiently high at a pH of 7.6 to permit passage of the compound from the blood of a mammal into a target organ or tissue and sufficiently low at a pH of 6.6 to prevent rapid return of the compound from the target organ or tissue to the blood. The compounds have a percent protein binding of less than ninety percent. These compounds may be selectively deposited in at least one target tissue or organ of a mammal, the tissue or organ of which has a significantly different intracellular pH than the blood of the mammal, by introducing the compound of the invention into the bloodstream of the mammal. A plurality of selenide compounds containing Se-75 isotope are claimed in relation to the patent. (U.K.)

  10. Analysis of factors causing signal loss in the measurement of lung tissue water by nuclear magnetic resonance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukuzaki, Minoru; Shioya, Sumie; Haida, Munetaka

    1997-01-01

    The water content of lung, brain, and muscle tissue was measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and compared with gravimetric determinations. The NMR signal intensity of water was measured by a single 90 degree pulse and by a spin-echo sequence. The absolute water content was determined by the difference in the sample's weight before and after desiccation. The NMR detectable water in each tissue was expressed as a percentage of the signal intensity for an equal weight of distilled water. Using the single pulse measurement, 67% of the gravimetrically-measured water was detected in collapsed lung samples (consisting of about 47% retained air), in contrast to 96% for brain and 98% for muscle. For degassed lung samples, the NMR detectability of water increased to 87% with the single pulse measurement and to 90% with the spin-echo measurement, but the values remained significantly less than those of brain or muscle. Factors that caused the NMR signal loss of 33% in collapsed lung samples were: air-tissue interfaces (20%), microscopic field inhomogeneity (3%), and a water component with an extremely short magnetization decay time constant (10%). (author)

  11. Fast, Na+ /K+ pump driven, steady-state transcytolemmal water exchange in neuronal tissue: A study of rat brain cortical cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Ruiliang; Springer, Charles S; Plenz, Dietmar; Basser, Peter J

    2018-06-01

    Water homeostasis and transport play important roles in brain function (e.g., ion homeostasis, neuronal excitability, cell volume regulation, etc.). However, specific mechanisms of water transport across cell membranes in neuronal tissue have not been completely elaborated. The kinetics of transcytolemmal water exchange were measured in neuronal tissue using simultaneous, real-time fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of perfused, active brain organotypic cortical cultures. Perfusion with a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent, gadoteridol, allows NMR determination of the unidirectional rate constant for steady-state cellular water efflux (k io ), and the mole fraction of intracellular water ( pi), related to the average cell volume (V). Changes in intracellular calcium concentration [Cai2+] were used as a proxy for neuronal activity and were monitored by fluorescence imaging. The k io value, averaged over all cultures (N = 99) at baseline, was 2.02 (±1.72) s -1 , indicating that on average, the equivalent of the entire intracellular water volume turns over twice each second. To probe possible molecular pathways, the specific Na + -K + -ATPase (NKA) inhibitor, ouabain (1 mM), was transiently introduced into the perfusate. This caused significant transient changes (N = 8): [Cai2+] rose ∼250%, V rose ∼89%, and k io fell ∼45%, with a metabolically active k io contribution probably eliminated by ouabain saturation. These results suggest that transcytolemmal water exchange in neuronal tissue involves mechanisms affected by NKA activity as well as passive pathways. The active pathway may account for half of the basal homeostatic water flux. Magn Reson Med 79:3207-3217, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  12. Temperature distribution analysis of tissue water vaporization during microwave ablation: experiments and simulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ai, Haiming; Wu, Shuicai; Gao, Hongjian; Zhao, Lei; Yang, Chunlan; Zeng, Yi

    2012-01-01

    The temperature distribution in the region near a microwave antenna is a critical factor that affects the entire temperature field during microwave ablation of tissue. It is challenging to predict this distribution precisely, because the temperature in the near-antenna region varies greatly. The effects of water vaporisation and subsequent tissue carbonisation in an ex vivo porcine liver were therefore studied experimentally and in simulations. The enthalpy and high-temperature specific absorption rate (SAR) of liver tissues were calculated and incorporated into the simulation process. The accuracy of predictions for near-field temperatures in our simulations has reached the level where the average maximum error is less than 5°C. In addition, a modified thermal model that accounts for water vaporisation and the change in the SAR distribution pattern is proposed and validated with experiment. The results from this study may be useful in the clinical practice of microwave ablation and can be applied to predict the temperature field in surgical planning.

  13. mRNA-seq analysis of the Gossypium arboreum transcriptome reveals tissue selective signaling in response to water stress during seedling stage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueyan Zhang

    Full Text Available The cotton diploid species, Gossypium arboreum, shows important properties of stress tolerance and good genetic stability. In this study, through mRNA-seq, we de novo assembled the unigenes of multiple samples with 3h H(2O, NaCl, or PEG treatments in leaf, stem and root tissues and successfully obtained 123,579 transcripts of G. arboreum, 89,128 of which were with hits through BLAST against known cotton ESTs and draft genome of G. raimondii. About 36,961 transcripts (including 1,958 possible transcription factor members were identified with differential expression under water stresses. Principal component analysis of differential expression levels in multiple samples suggested tissue selective signalling responding to water stresses. Venn diagram analysis showed the specificity and intersection of transcripts' response to NaCl and PEG treatments in different tissues. Self-organized mapping and hierarchical cluster analysis of the data also revealed strong tissue selectivity of transcripts under salt and osmotic stresses. In addition, the enriched gene ontology (GO terms for the selected tissue groups were differed, including some unique enriched GO terms such as photosynthesis and tetrapyrrole binding only in leaf tissues, while the stem-specific genes showed unique GO terms related to plant-type cell wall biogenesis, and root-specific genes showed unique GO terms such as monooxygenase activity. Furthermore, there were multiple hormone cross-talks in response to osmotic and salt stress. In summary, our multidimensional mRNA sequencing revealed tissue selective signalling and hormone crosstalk in response to salt and osmotic stresses in G. arboreum. To our knowledge, this is the first such report of spatial resolution of transcriptome analysis in G. arboreum. Our study will potentially advance understanding of possible transcriptional networks associated with water stress in cotton and other crop species.

  14. In-Situ Characterization of Tissue Blood Flow, Blood Content, and Water State Using New Techniques in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conturo, Thomas Edward

    Tissue blood flow, blood content, and water state have been characterized in-situ with new nuclear magnetic resonance imaging techniques. The sensitivities of standard techniques to the physiologic tissue parameters spin density (N_{rm r}) and relaxation times (T_1 and T_2 ) are mathematically defined. A new driven inversion method is developed so that tissue T_1 and T_2 changes produce cooperative intensity changes, yielding high contrast, high signal to noise, and sensitivity to a wider range of tissue parameters. The actual tissue parameters were imaged by automated collection of multiple-echo data having multiple T _1 dependence. Data are simultaneously fit by three-parameters to a closed-form expression, producing lower inter-parameter correlation and parameter noise than in separate T_1 or T_2 methods or pre-averaged methods. Accurate parameters are obtained at different field strengths. Parametric images of pathology demonstrate high sensitivity to tissue heterogeneity, and water content is determined in many tissues. Erythrocytes were paramagnetically labeled to study blood content and relaxation mechanisms. Liver and spleen relaxation were enhanced following 10% exchange of animal blood volumes. Rapid water exchange between intracellular and extracellular compartments was validated. Erythrocytes occupied 12.5% of renal cortex volume, and blood content was uniform in the liver, spleen and kidney. The magnitude and direction of flow velocity was then imaged. To eliminate directional artifacts, a bipolar gradient technique sensitized to flow in different directions was developed. Phase angle was reconstructed instead of intensity since the former has a 2pi -fold higher dynamic range. Images of flow through curves demonstrated secondary flow with a centrifugally-biased laminar profile and stationary velocity peaks along the curvature. Portal vein flow velocities were diminished or reversed in cirrhosis. Image artifacts have been characterized and removed. The

  15. Abdominal adipose tissue quantification on water-suppressed and non-water-suppressed MRI at 3T using semi-automated FCM clustering algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valaparla, Sunil K.; Peng, Qi; Gao, Feng; Clarke, Geoffrey D.

    2014-03-01

    Accurate measurements of human body fat distribution are desirable because excessive body fat is associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. In this study, we hypothesized that the performance of water suppressed (WS) MRI is superior to non-water suppressed (NWS) MRI for volumetric assessment of abdominal subcutaneous (SAT), intramuscular (IMAT), visceral (VAT), and total (TAT) adipose tissues. We acquired T1-weighted images on a 3T MRI system (TIM Trio, Siemens), which was analyzed using semi-automated segmentation software that employs a fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering algorithm. Sixteen contiguous axial slices, centered at the L4-L5 level of the abdomen, were acquired in eight T2DM subjects with water suppression (WS) and without (NWS). Histograms from WS images show improved separation of non-fatty tissue pixels from fatty tissue pixels, compared to NWS images. Paired t-tests of WS versus NWS showed a statistically significant lower volume of lipid in the WS images for VAT (145.3 cc less, p=0.006) and IMAT (305 cc less, p1), but not SAT (14.1 cc more, NS). WS measurements of TAT also resulted in lower fat volumes (436.1 cc less, p=0.002). There is strong correlation between WS and NWS quantification methods for SAT measurements (r=0.999), but poorer correlation for VAT studies (r=0.845). These results suggest that NWS pulse sequences may overestimate adipose tissue volumes and that WS pulse sequences are more desirable due to the higher contrast generated between fatty and non-fatty tissues.

  16. Relation among serum and tissue concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin and macular pigment density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, E J; Hammond, B R; Yeum, K J; Qin, J; Wang, X D; Castaneda, C; Snodderly, D M; Russell, R M

    2000-06-01

    Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids in the macular region of the retina (referred to as macular pigment [MP]). Foods that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin can increase MP density. Response to dietary lutein and zeaxanthin in other tissues has not been studied. The objective of this study was to examine tissue responses to dietary lutein and zeaxanthin and relations among tissues in lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations. Seven subjects consumed spinach and corn, which contain lutein and zeaxanthin, with their daily diets for 15 wk. At 0, 4, 8, and 15 wk and 2 mo after the study, serum, buccal mucosa cells, and adipose tissue were analyzed for carotenoids, and MP density was measured. Serum and buccal cell concentrations of lutein increased significantly from baseline during dietary modification. Serum zeaxanthin concentrations were greater than at baseline only at 4 wk, whereas buccal cell and adipose tissue concentrations of zeaxanthin did not change. Adipose tissue lutein concentrations peaked at 8 wk. Changes in adipose tissue lutein concentration were inversely related to the changes in MP density, suggesting an interaction between adipose tissue and retina in lutein metabolism. To investigate the possibility of tissue interactions, we examined cross-sectional relations among serum, tissue, and dietary lutein concentrations, anthropometric measures, and MP density in healthy adults. Significant negative correlations were found between adipose tissue lutein concentrations and MP for women, but a significant positive relation was found for men. Sex differences in lutein metabolism may be an important factor in tissue interactions and in determining MP density.

  17. Osteopontin: Relation between Adipose Tissue and Bone Homeostasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina De Fusco

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Osteopontin (OPN is a multifunctional protein mainly associated with bone metabolism and remodeling. Besides its physiological functions, OPN is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of disease states, such as obesity and osteoporosis. Importantly, during the last decades obesity and osteoporosis have become among the main threats to health worldwide. Because OPN is a protein principally expressed in cells with multifaceted effects on bone morphogenesis and remodeling and because it seems to be one of the most overexpressed genes in the adipose tissue of the obese contributing to osteoporosis, this mini review will highlight recent insights about relation between adipose tissue and bone homeostasis.

  18. Osteopontin: Relation between Adipose Tissue and Bone Homeostasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Fusco, Carolina; Messina, Antonietta; Monda, Vincenzo; Viggiano, Emanuela; Moscatelli, Fiorenzo; Valenzano, Anna; Esposito, Teresa; Sergio, Chieffi; Cibelli, Giuseppe; Monda, Marcellino; Messina, Giovanni

    2017-01-01

    Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional protein mainly associated with bone metabolism and remodeling. Besides its physiological functions, OPN is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of disease states, such as obesity and osteoporosis. Importantly, during the last decades obesity and osteoporosis have become among the main threats to health worldwide. Because OPN is a protein principally expressed in cells with multifaceted effects on bone morphogenesis and remodeling and because it seems to be one of the most overexpressed genes in the adipose tissue of the obese contributing to osteoporosis, this mini review will highlight recent insights about relation between adipose tissue and bone homeostasis.

  19. The effect of KZK1 pressure equation on the sonoluminescence in water and fat tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gheshlaghi, M.; Sadighi-Bonabi, R.; Ghadirifar, A.

    2015-09-01

    The effect of the produced light flashes from sonoluminescence (SL) on the fat tissue and water is studied. By using KZK equation as an essential equation for calculating the thermal source in bio-liquids, the effective bubble parameters in quasi-adiabatic model are calculated and compared in these systems. It is noticed that the temperature and the intensity for fat tissue are about 30% and 38% less than the ones for water respectively. These results are almost in good agreement with the only experimental measurement denoting less SL temperature in bio-liquids which present more suitable condition for using SL in such applications.

  20. Tomographic particle image velocimetry of a water-jet for low volume harvesting of fat tissue for regenerative medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Drobek Christoph

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV measurements of a water-jet for water-assisted liposuction (WAL are carried out to investigate the distribution of velocity and therefore momentum and acting force on the human sub-cutaneous fat tissue. These results shall validate CFD simulations and force sensor measurements of the water-jet and support the development of a new WAL device that is able to harvest low volumes of fat tissue for regenerative medicine even gentler than regular WAL devices.

  1. Tissue/blood partition coefficients for xenon in various adipose tissue depots in man

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bülow, J; Jelnes, Rolf; Astrup, A

    1987-01-01

    Tissue/blood partition coefficients (lambda) for xenon were calculated for subcutaneous adipose tissue from the abdominal wall and the thigh, and for the perirenal adipose tissue after chemical analysis of the tissues for lipid, water and protein content. The lambda in the perirenal tissue...... was found to correlate linearly to the relative body weight (RBW) in per cent with the regression equation lambda = 0.045 . RBW + 0.99. The subcutaneous lambda on the abdomen correlated linearly to the local skinfold thickness (SFT) with the equation lambda = 0.22 SFT + 2.99. Similarly lambda on the thigh...... correlated to SFT with the equation lambda = 0.20 . SFT + 4.63. It is concluded that the previously accepted lambda value of 10 is generally too high in perirenal as well as in subcutaneous tissue. Thus, by application of the present regression equations, it is possible to obtain more exact estimates...

  2. A Comparison of the Dosimetric Parameters of Cs-137 Brachytherapy Source in Different Tissues with Water Using Monte Carlo Simulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sedigheh Sina

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction After the publication of Task Group number 43 dose calculation formalism by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM, this method has been known as the most common dose calculation method in brachytherapy treatment planning. In this formalism, the water phantom is introduced as the reference dosimetry phantom, while the attenuation coefficient of the sources in the water phantom is different from that of different tissues. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the phantom materials on the TG-43 dosimetery parameters of the Cs-137 brachytherapy source using MCNP4C Monte Carlo code. Materials and Methods In this research, the Cs-137 (Model Selectron brachytherapy source was simulated in different phantoms (bone, soft tissue, muscle, fat, and the inhomogeneous phantoms of water/bone of volume 27000 cm3 using MCNP4C Monte Carlo code. *F8 tally was used to obtain the dose in a fine cubical lattice. Then the TG-43 dosimetry parameters of the brachytherapy source were obtained in water phantom and compared with those of different phantoms. Results The percentage difference between the radial dose function g(r of bone and the g(r of water phantom, at a distance of 10 cm from the source center is 20%, while such differences are 1.7%, 1.6% and 1.1% for soft tissue, muscle, and fat, respectively. The largest difference of the dose rate constant of phantoms with those of water is 4.52% for the bone phantom, while the differences for soft tissue, muscle, and fat are 1.18%, 1.27%, and 0.18%, respectively. The 2D anisotropy function of the Cs-137 source for different tissues is identical to that of water. Conclusion The results of the simulations have shown that dose calculation in water phantom would introduce errors in the dose calculation around brachytherapy sources. Therefore, it is suggested that the correction factors of different tissues be applied after dose calculation in water phantoms, in order to

  3. Cell and tissue dynamics of olive endocarp sclerification vary according to water availability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammami, Sofiene B M; Costagli, Giacomo; Rapoport, Hava F

    2013-12-01

    Endocarp developmental timing in drupe-type fruits, involving tissue expansion and sclerification processes, is increasingly used as marker for biological studies and crop management. In spite of its wide application, however, little is known regarding how these morphogenetic processes unfold or the factors that modify it. This study evaluates endocarp expansion and sclerification of olive (Olea europaea) fruits, used as an example of drupe-type fruits, from trees growing under different water regimes: full irrigated, deficit irrigated (moderate reduction of water availability) and rainfed (severe reduction of water availability). Fruits were sampled weekly until pit hardening, and fruit and endocarp areas were evaluated in histological preparations. An image analysis process was tested and adjusted to quantify sclerified area and distribution within the endocarp. Individual stone cells differentiated independently but distribution and timing indicated the overall coordination of endocarp tissue sclerification. Increase in sclerified area was initially gradual, accelerated abruptly the week prior to the end of endocarp expansion and then continued at an intermediate rate. These results suggest that the end of the expansion period is driven by sclerification and the morphogenetic signals involved act first on sclerification rather than endocarp size. Intensification of sclerification and the end of expansive growth occurred first with lowest water supply. Moderate and severe reductions in water availability proportionately decreased endocarp expansion and prolonged the sclerification, delaying the date of physically perceived hardening but not affecting the final degree of endocarp sclerification. © 2013 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  4. Dynamic relationship between the VOC emissions from a Scots pine stem and the tree water relations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanhatalo, Anni; Chan, Tommy; Aalto, Juho; Kolari, Pasi; Rissanen, Kaisa; Hakola, Hannele; Hölttä, Teemu; Bäck, Jaana

    2013-04-01

    period a sudden decrease in stem diameter was observed, which we hypothesize could either indicate a decrease in the pressure of living cells in connection with stem VOC emissions, or result mechanically from exudation of oleoresin from the stem. We also found that the stem water stores and xylem water transport capacity increased during periods of VOC emissions, which indicates xylem embolism refilling during times of VOC emissions. A qualitative difference was found between VOC emissions from pine stem and thick branches, the stem emissions containing more sesquiterpenes. Most of the tree biomass is in the lower part of the stem, and as stem tissues are lacking green photosynthesizing tissue the emissions are supposed to be related to damage. Our results show that emissions from tree stems are connected to the tree water relations and that they are important during the period when the foliage still is rather inactive.

  5. Laser cutting of bone tissue under bulk water with a pulsed ps-laser at 532 nm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulea, Cristian-Alexander; Caron, Jan; Gehlich, Nils; Lenenbach, Achim; Noll, Reinhard; Loosen, Peter

    2015-10-01

    Hard-tissue ablation was already investigated for a broad variety of pulsed laser systems, which cover almost the entire range of available wavelengths and pulse parameters. Most effective in hard-tissue ablation are Er:YAG and CO2 lasers, both utilizing the effect of absorption of infrared wavelengths by water and so-called explosive vaporization, when a thin water film or water–air spray is supplied. The typical flow rates and the water layer thicknesses are too low for surgical applications where bleeding occurs and wound flushing is necessary. We studied a 20 W ps-laser with 532 nm wavelength and a pulse energy of 1 mJ to effectively ablate bones that are submerged 14 mm under water. For these laser parameters, the plasma-mediated ablation mechanism is dominant. Simulations based on the blow-off model predict the cut depth and cross-sectional shape of the incision. The model is modified considering the cross section of the Gaussian beam, the incident angle, and reflections. The ablation rate amounts to 0.2  mm3/s, corresponding to an increase by at least 50% of the highest values published so far for ultrashort laser ablation of hard tissue.

  6. Linking carbon and water relations to drought-induced mortality in Pinus flexilis seedlings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinhardt, Keith; Germino, Matthew J; Kueppers, Lara M; Domec, Jean-Christophe; Mitton, Jeffry

    2015-07-01

    Survival of tree seedlings at high elevations has been shown to be limited by thermal constraints on carbon balance, but it is unknown if carbon relations also limit seedling survival at lower elevations, where water relations may be more important. We measured and modeled carbon fluxes and water relations in first-year Pinus flexilis seedlings in garden plots just beyond the warm edge of their natural range, and compared these with dry-mass gain and survival across two summers. We hypothesized that mortality in these seedlings would be associated with declines in water relations, more so than with carbon-balance limitations. Rather than gradual declines in survivorship across growing seasons, we observed sharp, large-scale mortality episodes that occurred once volumetric soil-moisture content dropped below 10%. By this point, seedling water potentials had decreased below -5 MPa, seedling hydraulic conductivity had decreased by 90% and seedling hydraulic resistance had increased by >900%. Additionally, non-structural carbohydrates accumulated in aboveground tissues at the end of both summers, suggesting impairments in phloem-transport from needles to roots. This resulted in low carbohydrate concentrations in roots, which likely impaired root growth and water uptake at the time of critically low soil moisture. While photosynthesis and respiration on a leaf area basis remained high until critical hydraulic thresholds were exceeded, modeled seedling gross primary productivity declined steadily throughout the summers. At the time of mortality, modeled productivity was insufficient to support seedling biomass-gain rates, metabolism and secondary costs. Thus the large-scale mortality events that we observed near the end of each summer were most directly linked with acute, episodic declines in plant hydraulic function that were linked with important changes in whole-seedling carbon relations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

  7. Live tissue imaging shows reef corals elevate pH under their calcifying tissue relative to seawater.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Venn

    Full Text Available The threat posed to coral reefs by changes in seawater pH and carbonate chemistry (ocean acidification raises the need for a better mechanistic understanding of physiological processes linked to coral calcification. Current models of coral calcification argue that corals elevate extracellular pH under their calcifying tissue relative to seawater to promote skeleton formation, but pH measurements taken from the calcifying tissue of living, intact corals have not been achieved to date. We performed live tissue imaging of the reef coral Stylophora pistillata to determine extracellular pH under the calcifying tissue and intracellular pH in calicoblastic cells. We worked with actively calcifying corals under flowing seawater and show that extracellular pH (pHe under the calicoblastic epithelium is elevated by ∼0.5 and ∼0.2 pH units relative to the surrounding seawater in light and dark conditions respectively. By contrast, the intracellular pH (pHi of the calicoblastic epithelium remains stable in the light and dark. Estimates of aragonite saturation states derived from our data indicate the elevation in subcalicoblastic pHe favour calcification and may thus be a critical step in the calcification process. However, the observed close association of the calicoblastic epithelium with the underlying crystals suggests that the calicoblastic cells influence the growth of the coral skeleton by other processes in addition to pHe modification. The procedure used in the current study provides a novel, tangible approach for future investigations into these processes and the impact of environmental change on the cellular mechanisms underpinning coral calcification.

  8. Numerical study of water diffusion in biological tissues using an improved finite difference method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Junzhong; Does, Mark D; Gore, John C

    2007-01-01

    An improved finite difference (FD) method has been developed in order to calculate the behaviour of the nuclear magnetic resonance signal variations caused by water diffusion in biological tissues more accurately and efficiently. The algorithm converts the conventional image-based finite difference method into a convenient matrix-based approach and includes a revised periodic boundary condition which eliminates the edge effects caused by artificial boundaries in conventional FD methods. Simulated results for some modelled tissues are consistent with analytical solutions for commonly used diffusion-weighted pulse sequences, whereas the improved FD method shows improved efficiency and accuracy. A tightly coupled parallel computing approach was also developed to implement the FD methods to enable large-scale simulations of realistic biological tissues. The potential applications of the improved FD method for understanding diffusion in tissues are also discussed. (note)

  9. Estimation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the water column based on tissue residues in mussels and salmon: An equilibrium partitioning approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neff, J.M.; Burns, W.A.

    1996-01-01

    Equilibrium partitioning was used to estimate concentrations of dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the water column from PAH residues in tissues of mussels and juvenile pink salmon collected from coastal marine waters affected by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Estimated concentrations were within factors of 2 to 5 for fish and 5 to 10 for mussels of average total dissolved and particulate PAHs measured in concurrent water samples. Temporal trends of estimated and measured water-column PAH concentrations were comparable. Water-column PAH concentrations estimated from residues in tissues of mussels (Mytilus trossulus) were higher than estimates based on residues in tissues of juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). Possible reasons for this difference include seasonal variations in mussel lipid content, differences in PAH uptake and depuration rates between fish and mussels, differences in how fish and mussels interact with particulate oil, and possible short exposure times for juvenile pink salmon. All of these factors may play a role. In any event, estimates of dissolved PAHs in the water column, based on PAH residues in either fish or mussel tissue, confirm that PAH concentrations generally did not exceed water quality standards for protection of marine life

  10. Effects of water immersion to the neck on pulmonary circulation and tissue volume in man

    Science.gov (United States)

    Begin, R.; Epstein, M.; Sackner, M. A.; Levinson, R.; Dougherty, R.; Duncan, D.

    1976-01-01

    A rapid noninvasive breathing method is used to obtain serial measurements of the pulmonary capillary blood flow, diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar volume, combined pulmonary tissue plus capillary volume, functional residual capacity, and oxygen consumption in five normal subjects undergoing 6 h of sitting, 4 h of sitting while immersed to the neck in thermoneutral water, and 4 h of lying in thermoneutral water to the neck. The rebreathing method employed a test gas mixture containing 0.5% C2H2, 0.3% C(18)O, 10% He, 21% O2, and balance N2. It is shown that immersion to the neck in the seated posture results in significant increases in sodium excretion cardiac output, and diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar volume. The pulmonary tissue plus capillary volume did not change, demonstrating that the central vascular engorgement induced by water immersion is not accompanied by significant extravasation of fluid into the pulmonary interstitial space.

  11. Evaluating the Application of Tissue-Specific Dose Kernels Instead of Water Dose Kernels in Internal Dosimetry : A Monte Carlo Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moghadam, Maryam Khazaee; Asl, Alireza Kamali; Geramifar, Parham; Zaidi, Habib

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this work is to evaluate the application of tissue-specific dose kernels instead of water dose kernels to improve the accuracy of patient-specific dosimetry by taking tissue heterogeneities into consideration. Materials and Methods: Tissue-specific dose point kernels (DPKs) and

  12. Compared leaf anatomy and water relations of commercial and traditional Prunus dulcis (Mill.) cultivars under rain-fed conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oliveira, I.; Meyer, A.; Afonso, S.

    2018-01-01

    Leaf anatomy and water relations of seven almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) cultivars, traditional (Bonita, Casanova, Parada, Pegarinhos and Verdeal) and commercial (Ferragnès and Glorieta), grown under rain-fed conditions, were studied. The performed measurements included thickness of leaf tissues...... cuticle thickness, while Pegarinhos adds a thicker epidermis and palisade parenchyma to increase protection to water loss. These data is one of the first comparative approaches to the leaf characterization of these cultivars, and should now be combined with physiological and biochemical studies...

  13. Water relations, gas exchange and growth of dominant and suppressed shoots of Arbutus unedo L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castell, C; Terradas, J

    1995-06-01

    Basal shoots produced by Arbutus unedo L. after cutting at ground level vary in size and growth rate, and are classified accordingly as dominant or suppressed. The suppressed shoots eventually cease growth and die. In this study, we investigated the role of light and water in the competition among shoots of A. unedo. Dominant and suppressed shoots of A. unedo showed similar leaf water potentials and tissue water relations over the year, suggesting that water status is not responsible for the lack of flushing in suppressed shoots. Although suppressed shoots did not flush under low light, they showed many characteristics of shade-tolerant plants. Leaves of suppressed shoots had lower leaf conductance and light-saturated photosynthetic rate, and higher specific leaf area than leaves of dominant shoots. We conclude that light was the main resource determining competition among shoots and the death of suppressed shoots.

  14. SU-E-T-154: Calculation of Tissue Dose Point Kernels Using GATE Monte Carlo Simulation Toolkit to Compare with Water Dose Point Kernel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khazaee, M [shahid beheshti university, Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Asl, A Kamali [Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran., Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Geramifar, P [Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran., Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: the objective of this study was to assess utilizing water dose point kernel (DPK)instead of tissue dose point kernels in convolution algorithms.to the best of our knowledge, in providing 3D distribution of absorbed dose from a 3D distribution of the activity, the human body is considered equivalent to water. as a Result tissue variations are not considered in patient specific dosimetry. Methods: In this study Gate v7.0 was used to calculate tissue dose point kernel. the beta emitter radionuclides which have taken into consideration in this simulation include Y-90, Lu-177 and P-32 which are commonly used in nuclear medicine. the comparison has been performed for dose point kernels of adipose, bone, breast, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung and spleen versus water dose point kernel. Results: In order to validate the simulation the Result of 90Y DPK in water were compared with published results of Papadimitroulas et al (Med. Phys., 2012). The results represented that the mean differences between water DPK and other soft tissues DPKs range between 0.6 % and 1.96% for 90Y, except for lung and bone, where the observed discrepancies are 6.3% and 12.19% respectively. The range of DPK difference for 32P is between 1.74% for breast and 18.85% for bone. For 177Lu, the highest difference belongs to bone which is equal to 16.91%. For other soft tissues the least discrepancy is observed in kidney with 1.68%. Conclusion: In all tissues except for lung and bone, the results of GATE for dose point kernel were comparable to water dose point kernel which demonstrates the appropriateness of applying water dose point kernel instead of soft tissues in the field of nuclear medicine.

  15. SU-E-T-154: Calculation of Tissue Dose Point Kernels Using GATE Monte Carlo Simulation Toolkit to Compare with Water Dose Point Kernel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khazaee, M; Asl, A Kamali; Geramifar, P

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: the objective of this study was to assess utilizing water dose point kernel (DPK)instead of tissue dose point kernels in convolution algorithms.to the best of our knowledge, in providing 3D distribution of absorbed dose from a 3D distribution of the activity, the human body is considered equivalent to water. as a Result tissue variations are not considered in patient specific dosimetry. Methods: In this study Gate v7.0 was used to calculate tissue dose point kernel. the beta emitter radionuclides which have taken into consideration in this simulation include Y-90, Lu-177 and P-32 which are commonly used in nuclear medicine. the comparison has been performed for dose point kernels of adipose, bone, breast, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung and spleen versus water dose point kernel. Results: In order to validate the simulation the Result of 90Y DPK in water were compared with published results of Papadimitroulas et al (Med. Phys., 2012). The results represented that the mean differences between water DPK and other soft tissues DPKs range between 0.6 % and 1.96% for 90Y, except for lung and bone, where the observed discrepancies are 6.3% and 12.19% respectively. The range of DPK difference for 32P is between 1.74% for breast and 18.85% for bone. For 177Lu, the highest difference belongs to bone which is equal to 16.91%. For other soft tissues the least discrepancy is observed in kidney with 1.68%. Conclusion: In all tissues except for lung and bone, the results of GATE for dose point kernel were comparable to water dose point kernel which demonstrates the appropriateness of applying water dose point kernel instead of soft tissues in the field of nuclear medicine

  16. Epidemicity thresholds for water-borne and water-related diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mari, Lorenzo; Casagrandi, Renato; Rinaldo, Andrea; Gatto, Marino

    2018-06-14

    Determining the conditions that favor pathogen establishment in a host community is key to disease control and eradication. However, focusing on long-term dynamics alone may lead to an underestimation of the threats imposed by outbreaks triggered by short-term transient phenomena. Achieving an effective epidemiological response thus requires to look at different timescales, each of which may be endowed with specific management objectives. In this work we aim to determine epidemicity thresholds for some prototypical examples of water-borne and water-related diseases, a diverse family of infections transmitted either directly through water infested with pathogens or by vectors whose lifecycles are closely associated with water. From a technical perspective, while conditions for endemicity are determined via stability analysis, epidemicity thresholds are defined through generalized reactivity analysis, a recently proposed method that allows the study of the short-term instability properties of ecological systems. Understanding the drivers of water-borne and water-related disease dynamics over timescales that may be relevant to epidemic and/or endemic transmission is a challenge of the utmost importance, as large portions of the developing world are still struggling with the burden imposed by these infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 3D Printing of Cytocompatible Water-Based Light-Cured Polyurethane with Hyaluronic Acid for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-You Shie

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Diseases in articular cartilages have affected millions of people globally. Although the biochemical and cellular composition of articular cartilages is relatively simple, there is a limitation in the self-repair ability of the cartilage. Therefore, developing strategies for cartilage repair is very important. Here, we report on a new liquid resin preparation process of water-based polyurethane based photosensitive materials with hyaluronic acid with application of the materials for 3D printed customized cartilage scaffolds. The scaffold has high cytocompatibility and is one that closely mimics the mechanical properties of articular cartilages. It is suitable for culturing human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs and the cells in this case showed an excellent chondrogenic differentiation capacity. We consider that the 3D printing hybrid scaffolds may have potential in customized tissue engineering and also facilitate the development of cartilage tissue engineering.

  18. 3D Printing of Cytocompatible Water-Based Light-Cured Polyurethane with Hyaluronic Acid for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shie, Ming-You; Chang, Wen-Ching; Wei, Li-Ju; Huang, Yu-Hsin; Chen, Chien-Han; Shih, Cheng-Ting; Chen, Yi-Wen; Shen, Yu-Fang

    2017-01-01

    Diseases in articular cartilages have affected millions of people globally. Although the biochemical and cellular composition of articular cartilages is relatively simple, there is a limitation in the self-repair ability of the cartilage. Therefore, developing strategies for cartilage repair is very important. Here, we report on a new liquid resin preparation process of water-based polyurethane based photosensitive materials with hyaluronic acid with application of the materials for 3D printed customized cartilage scaffolds. The scaffold has high cytocompatibility and is one that closely mimics the mechanical properties of articular cartilages. It is suitable for culturing human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs) and the cells in this case showed an excellent chondrogenic differentiation capacity. We consider that the 3D printing hybrid scaffolds may have potential in customized tissue engineering and also facilitate the development of cartilage tissue engineering. PMID:28772498

  19. Analysing breast tissue composition with MRI using currently available short, simple sequences

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chau, A.C.M.; Hua, J.; Taylor, D.B.

    2016-01-01

    Aim: To determine the most robust commonly available magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence to quantify breast tissue composition at 1.5 T. Materials and methods: Two-dimensional (2D) T1-weighted, Dixon fat, Dixon water and SPAIR images were obtained from five participants and a breast phantom using a 1.5 T Siemens Aera MRI system. Manual segmentation of the breasts was performed, and an in-house computer program was used to generate signal intensity histograms. Relative trough depth and relative peak separation were used to determine the robustness of the images for quantifying the two breast tissues. Total breast volumes and percentage breast densities calculated using the four sequences were compared. Results: Dixon fat histograms had consistently low relative trough depth and relative peak separation compared to those obtained using other sequences. There was no significant difference in total breast volumes and percentage breast densities of the participants or breast phantom using Dixon fat and 2D T1-weighted histograms. Dixon water and SPAIR histograms were not suitable for quantifying breast tissue composition. Conclusion: Dixon fat images are the most robust for the quantification of breast tissue composition using a signal intensity histogram. - Highlights: • Signal intensity histogram analysis can determine robustness of images for quantification of breast tissue composition. • Dixon fat images are the most robust. • The characteristics of the signal intensity histograms from Dixon water and SPAIR images make quantification unsuitable.

  20. Micro-scale elemental partition in tissues of the aquatic plant Lemna minor L. exposed to highway drainage water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendes Godinho, R.; Raimundo, J.; Vale, C.; Anes, B.; Brito, P.; Alves, L.C.; Pinheiro, T.

    2013-01-01

    In the scope of a monitoring program to assess the environmental impact of automobile traffic over one main bridge in Lisbon, both water and duckweed (Lemna minor L.) were sampled from the road drainage tanks and analyzed for chemical elements. Plants uptake Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn metals from rain water draining the bridge road. Nuclear microprobe elemental maps of cryosections of L. minor tissues showed that incorporated elements were internalized in fronds of the plant. This approach at micrometer level allows a better knowledge of the elemental tissue partitioning in this biomonitor organism

  1. Micro-scale elemental partition in tissues of the aquatic plant Lemna minor L. exposed to highway drainage water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendes Godinho, R.; Raimundo, J.; Vale, C.; Anes, B.; Brito, P.; Alves, L. C.; Pinheiro, T.

    2013-07-01

    In the scope of a monitoring program to assess the environmental impact of automobile traffic over one main bridge in Lisbon, both water and duckweed (Lemna minor L.) were sampled from the road drainage tanks and analyzed for chemical elements. Plants uptake Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn metals from rain water draining the bridge road. Nuclear microprobe elemental maps of cryosections of L. minor tissues showed that incorporated elements were internalized in fronds of the plant. This approach at micrometer level allows a better knowledge of the elemental tissue partitioning in this biomonitor organism.

  2. How to assess the plasma delivery of RONS into tissue fluid and tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Jun-Seok; Szili, Endre J.; Gaur, Nishtha; Hong, Sung-Ha; Furuta, Hiroshi; Kurita, Hirofumi; Mizuno, Akira; Hatta, Akimitsu; Short, Robert D.

    2016-08-01

    The efficacy of helium (He) and argon (Ar) plasma jets are being investigated for different healthcare applications including wound and cancer therapy, sterilisation and surface disinfections. Current research points to a potential link between the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and outcomes in a range of biological and medical applications. As new data accrue, further strengthening this link, it becomes important to understand the controlled delivery of RONS into solutions, tissue fluids and tissues. This paper investigates the use of He and Ar plasma jets to deliver three RONS (hydrogen peroxide—H2O2, nitrite—\\text{NO}2- and nitrate—\\text{NO}3- ) and molecular oxygen (O2) directly into deionised (DI) water, or indirectly into DI water through an agarose target. The DI water is used in place of tissue fluid and the agarose target serves as a surrogate of tissue. Direct plasma jet treatments deliver more RONS and O2 than the through-agarose treatments for equivalent treatments times. The former only deliver RONS whilst the plasma jets are ignited; the latter continues to deliver RONS into the DI water long after the plasmas are extinguished. The He plasma jet is more effective at delivering H2O2 and \\text{NO}2- directly into DI water, but the Ar plasma jet is more effective at nitrating the DI water in both direct and through-agarose treatments. DI water directly treated with the plasma jets is deoxygenated, with the He plasma jet purging more O2 than the Ar plasma jet. This effect is known as ‘sparging’. In contrast, for through-agarose treatments both jets oxygenated the DI water. These results indicate that in the context of direct and indirect plasma jet treatments of real tissue fluids and tissue, the choice of process gas (He or Ar) could have a profound effect on the concentrations of RONS and O2. Irrespective of operating gas, sparging of tissue fluid (in an open wound) for long prolonged periods during direct plasma

  3. Hydrology, water resources and the epidemiology of water-related diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertuzzo, Enrico; Mari, Lorenzo

    2017-10-01

    Water-borne and water-based diseases are infections in which the causative agent (or one of its hosts) spends at least part of its lifecycle in water [1]. They still represent a major threat to human health, especially in the developing world. As an example, diarrhoea, commonly linked to water-borne diseases like cholera, is responsible for the death of about 525,000 children under five every year (out of nearly 1.7 billion cases globally), thus representing one of the leading causes of death among infants and children in low-income countries [2]. A wide range of micro- (protozoa, bacteria, viruses, algae) and macro-parasites (mostly flatworms and roundworms) is associated with water-borne and water-based diseases. Infection is generally caused by ingestion of, or exposure to, contaminated water, and is thus tightly linked to water excess, scarcity, availability or quality. More broadly, the term water-related diseases may also include vector-borne infections in which the ecology of the vector population is closely related to the presence of environmental water. This is the case, for instance, of mosquitoes acting as vectors of deadly diseases like malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. Malaria alone exacted a toll of 429,000 deaths in 2015 (out of 212 million cases globally), according to the latest WHO estimates [3].

  4. Proton energy determinations in water and in tissue-like material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laitano, R F [Ist. Nazionale di Metrologia delle Radiazioni Ionizzanti, ENEA, Roma (Italy); Rosetti, M [Div. di Fisica Applicata, ENEA, Bologna (Italy)

    1997-09-01

    The mean energy of proton beams in water and in a tissue substitute, respectively, were determined as a function of SOBP width, beam size and initial energy spread. Then an analytical expression to obtain the proton mean energy as a function of phantom depth and initial energy was established. This expression differs from the analogous ones reported in some current dosimetry protocols in that it accounts for the nuclear interaction effects in determining the mean energy. The preliminary results of the calculations referred to above are reported together with some comments on the specification of the proton beam quality for clinical dosimetry. (orig.)

  5. Brown adipose tissue quantification in human neonates using water-fat separated MRI.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerod M Rasmussen

    Full Text Available There is a major resurgence of interest in brown adipose tissue (BAT biology, particularly regarding its determinants and consequences in newborns and infants. Reliable methods for non-invasive BAT measurement in human infants have yet to be demonstrated. The current study first validates methods for quantitative BAT imaging of rodents post mortem followed by BAT excision and re-imaging of excised tissues. Identical methods are then employed in a cohort of in vivo infants to establish the reliability of these measures and provide normative statistics for BAT depot volume and fat fraction. Using multi-echo water-fat MRI, fat- and water-based images of rodents and neonates were acquired and ratios of fat to the combined signal from fat and water (fat signal fraction were calculated. Neonatal scans (n = 22 were acquired during natural sleep to quantify BAT and WAT deposits for depot volume and fat fraction. Acquisition repeatability was assessed based on multiple scans from the same neonate. Intra- and inter-rater measures of reliability in regional BAT depot volume and fat fraction quantification were determined based on multiple segmentations by two raters. Rodent BAT was characterized as having significantly higher water content than WAT in both in situ as well as ex vivo imaging assessments. Human neonate deposits indicative of bilateral BAT in spinal, supraclavicular and axillary regions were observed. Pairwise, WAT fat fraction was significantly greater than BAT fat fraction throughout the sample (ΔWAT-BAT = 38 %, p<10(-4. Repeated scans demonstrated a high voxelwise correlation for fat fraction (Rall = 0.99. BAT depot volume and fat fraction measurements showed high intra-rater (ICCBAT,VOL = 0.93, ICCBAT,FF = 0.93 and inter-rater reliability (ICCBAT,VOL = 0.86, ICCBAT,FF = 0.93. This study demonstrates the reliability of using multi-echo water-fat MRI in human neonates for quantification throughout the torso of BAT depot volume and fat

  6. Cytocompatible and water stable ultrafine protein fibers for tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Qiuran

    This dissertation proposal focuses on the development of cytocompatible and water stable protein ultrafine fibers for tissue engineering. The protein-based ultrafine fibers have the potential to be used for biomedicine, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, similarity to natural extracellular matrix (ECM) in physical structure and chemical composition, and superior adsorption properties due to their high surface to volume ratio. However, the current technologies to produce the protein-based ultrafine fibers for biomedical applications still have several problems. For instance, the current electrospinning and phase separation technologies generate scaffolds composed of densely compacted ultrafine fibers, and cells can spread just on the surface of the fiber bulk, and hardly penetrate into the inner sections of scaffolds. Thus, these scaffolds can merely emulate the ECM as a two dimensional basement membrane, but are difficult to mimic the three dimensional ECM stroma. Moreover, the protein-based ultrafine fibers do not possess sufficient water stability and strength for biomedical applications, and need modifications such as crosslinking. However, current crosslinking methods are either high in toxicity or low in crosslinking efficiency. To solve the problems mentioned above, zein, collagen, and gelatin were selected as the raw materials to represent plant proteins, animal proteins, and denatured proteins in this dissertation. A benign solvent system was developed specifically for the fabrication of collagen ultrafine fibers. In addition, the gelatin scaffolds with a loose fibrous structure, high cell-accessibility and cell viability were produced by a novel ultralow concentration phase separation method aiming to simulate the structure of three dimensional (3D) ECM stroma. Non-toxic crosslinking methods using citric acid as the crosslinker were also developed for electrospun or phase separated scaffolds from these three proteins, and proved to be

  7. Characterization of laser-tissue interaction processes by low-boiling emitted substances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weigmann, Hans-Juergen; Lademann, Juergen; Serfling, Ulrike; Lehnert, W.; Sterry, Wolfram; Meffert, H.

    1996-01-01

    Main point in this study was the investigation of the gaseous and low-boiling substances produced in the laser plume during cw CO2 laser and XeCl laser irradiation of tissue by gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry. The characteristic emitted amounts of chemicals were determined quantitatively using porcine muscular tissue. The produced components were used to determine the character of the chemical reaction conditions inside the interaction zone. It was found that the temperature, and the water content of the tissue are the main parameter determining kind and amount of the emitted substances. The relative intensity of the GC peak of benzene corresponds to a high temperature inside the interaction area while a relative strong methylbutanal peak is connected with a lower temperature which favors Maillard type reaction products. The water content of the tissue determines the extent of oxidation processes during laser tissue interaction. For that reason the moisture in the tissue is the most important parameter to reduce the emission of harmful chemicals in the laser plume. The same methods of investigation are applicable to characterize the interaction of a controlled and an uncontrolled rf electrosurgery device with tissue. The results obtained with model tissue are in agreement with the situation characteristic in laser surgery.

  8. In vivo monitoring of seeds and plant-tissue water absorption using optical coherence tomography and optical coherence microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sapozhnikova, Veronika V.; Kutis, Irina S.; Kutis, Sergey D.; Kuranov, Roman V.; Gelikonov, Grigory V.; Shabanov, Dmitry V.; Kamensky, Vladislav A.

    2004-07-01

    First experimental results on OCT imaging of internal structure of plant tissues and in situ OCT monitoring of plant tissue regeneration at different water supply are reported. Experiments for evaluating OCT capabilities were performed on Tradescantia. The investigation of seeds swelling was performed on wheat seeds (Triticum L.), barley seeds (Hordeum L.), long-fibred flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum L.) and cucumber seeds (Cucumis sativus L.). These OCT images correlate with standard microscopy data from the same tissue regions. Seeds were exposed to a low-intensity physical factor-the pulsed gradient magnetic field (GMF) with pulse duration 0.1 s and maximum amplitude 5 mT (4 successive pulses during 0.4 s). OCT and OCM enable effective monitoring of fast reactions in plants and seeds at different water supply.

  9. Prediction of disease-related genes based on weighted tissue-specific networks by using DNA methylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Min; Zhang, Jiayi; Liu, Qing; Wang, Jianxin; Wu, Fang-Xiang

    2014-01-01

    Predicting disease-related genes is one of the most important tasks in bioinformatics and systems biology. With the advances in high-throughput techniques, a large number of protein-protein interactions are available, which make it possible to identify disease-related genes at the network level. However, network-based identification of disease-related genes is still a challenge as the considerable false-positives are still existed in the current available protein interaction networks (PIN). Considering the fact that the majority of genetic disorders tend to manifest only in a single or a few tissues, we constructed tissue-specific networks (TSN) by integrating PIN and tissue-specific data. We further weighed the constructed tissue-specific network (WTSN) by using DNA methylation as it plays an irreplaceable role in the development of complex diseases. A PageRank-based method was developed to identify disease-related genes from the constructed networks. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we constructed PIN, weighted PIN (WPIN), TSN, WTSN for colon cancer and leukemia, respectively. The experimental results on colon cancer and leukemia show that the combination of tissue-specific data and DNA methylation can help to identify disease-related genes more accurately. Moreover, the PageRank-based method was effective to predict disease-related genes on the case studies of colon cancer and leukemia. Tissue-specific data and DNA methylation are two important factors to the study of human diseases. The same method implemented on the WTSN can achieve better results compared to those being implemented on original PIN, WPIN, or TSN. The PageRank-based method outperforms degree centrality-based method for identifying disease-related genes from WTSN.

  10. [Influence of deuterium depleted water on freeze-dried tissue isotopic composition and morphofunctional body performance in rats of different generations].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzhimak, S S; Baryshev, M G; Basov, A A; Timakov, A A

    2014-01-01

    The influence of deuterium depleted water on the body of different rats generations was investigated in physiological conditions. As a result of this study it was established that the most significant and rapid reduction in D/H equilibrium was observed in plasma (by 36.2%), and lyophilized kidney tissues (by 15.8%). Less pronounced deuterium decrease was characteristic of liver tissue (9.3%) and heart (8.5%). Stabilization of the isotopic exchange reaction rate was fixed in the blood and tissues of rats, starting from the second generation. At the same time when deuterium depleted water (40 ppm) was used in dietary intake, the change in morphological and functional parameters in laboratory animals associated with the processes of adaptation to the effects of substress isotopic D/H gradient was also noted. The study shows that modification of:only drinking water intake regime can't significantly change the deuterium content in tissues of metabolically active organs, because of the concurrent deuterium receipt in food substances of plant and animal origin.

  11. Infrared thermal measurements of laser soft tissue ablation as a function of air/water coolant for Nd:YAG and diode lasers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gekelman, Diana; Yamamoto, Andrew; Oto, Marvin G.; White, Joel M.

    2003-06-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to measure the maximum temperature at the Nd:YAG and Diode lasers fiberoptic tips as a function of air/water coolant, during soft tissue ablation in pig jaws. A pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064nm) and a Diode laser (800-830 nm) were used varying parameters of power, conditioning or not of the fiber tip, under 4 settings of air/water coolant. The maximum temperature at the fiber tip was measured using an infra-red camera and the interaction of the fiber with the porcine soft tissue was evaluated. A two-factor ANOVA was used for statistical analysis (plaser interaction with soft tissues produced temperatures levels directly proportional to power increase, but the conditioning of the fiber tip did not influence the temperature rise. On the other hand, conditioning of the fiber tip did influence the temperature rise for Diode laser. The addition of air/water coolant, for both lasers, did not promote temperature rise consistent with cutting and coagulation of porcine soft tissue. Laser parameters affect the fiberoptic surface temperature, and the addition of air/water coolant significantly lowered surface temperature on the fiberoptic tip for all lasers and parameters tested.

  12. Camera navigation and tissue manipulation : Are these laparoscopic skills related?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buzink, S.N.; Botden, S.M.B.I.; Heemskerk, J.; Goossens, R.H.M.; De Ridder, H.; Jakimowicz, J.J.

    2009-01-01

    Background: It is a tacit assumption that clinically based expertise in laparoscopic tissue manipulation entails skilfulness in angled laparoscope navigation. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relation between these skills. To this end, face and construct validity had to be

  13. Benthic and tissue toxin data from stations in U.S. coastal waters from 19840101 to 19891231 (NODC Accession 9300199)

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The accession contains Benthic and Tissue toxin data from stations in U.S. coastal waters (Coastal Waters of Western U.S. and North American Coastline-North)...

  14. Modeling the movement and equilibrium of water in the body of ruminants in relation to estimating body composition by deuterium oxide dilution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnold, R.N.

    1986-01-01

    Deuterium oxide (D 2 O) dilution was evaluated for use in estimating body composition of ruminants. Empty body composition of cattle could not be accurately estimated by two- or three-compartment models when solved on the basis of clearance of D 2 O from blood. A 29-compartment blood-flow model was developed from measured blood flow rates and water volumes of tissues of sheep. The rates of equilibration of water in tissues that were simulated by the blood-flow model were much faster than actual rates measured in sheep and cattle. The incorporation of diffusion hindrances for movement of water into tissues enabled the blood flow model to simulate the measured equilibration rates in tissues, but the values of the diffusion coefficients were different for each tissue. The D 2 O-disappearance curve for blood simulated by the blood-flow model with diffusion limitations was comprised for four exponential components. The tissues and gastrointestinal tract contents were placed into five groups based upon the rate of equilibration. Water in the organs of the body equilibrated with water in blood within 3 min. Water in visceral fat, head, and some of the gastrointestinal tract tissues equilibrated within 8 to 16 min. Water in skeletal muscle, fat, and bone and the contents of some segments of the gastrointestinal tract equilibrated within 30 to 36 min. Water in the tissues and contents of the cecum and upper-large intestine equilibrated within 160 to 200 min. Water in ruminal tissue and contents equilibrated within 480 min

  15. Community Knowledge about Water: Who Has Better Knowledge and Is This Associated with Water-Related Behaviors and Support for Water-Related Policies?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela J Dean

    Full Text Available Sustainable approaches to water management require broad community acceptance of changes in policy, practice and technology, which in turn, requires an engaged community. A critical first step in building an engaged community is to identify community knowledge about water management, an issue rarely examined in research. To address this, we surveyed a representative sample of Australian adults (n = 5172. Knowledge was assessed using 15 questions about impact of household activities on waterways, the urban water cycle, and water management. This survey also examined demographics, psychosocial characteristics, exposure to water-related information, and water-related behaviors and policy support. Participants correctly answered a mean of 8.0 questions (Range 0-15. Most respondents knew that household actions can reduce water use and influence waterway health, whereas less than one third correctly identified that domestic wastewater is treated prior to entering waterways, urban stormwater is not treated, and that these are carried via different pipes. Higher water knowledge was associated with older age, higher education and living in non-urban areas. Poorer water knowledge was associated with speaking a language other than English in the home. Garden size, experience of water restrictions, satisfaction, waterway use for swimming, and certain information sources were also associated with knowledge. Greater water knowledge was associated with adoption of water-saving and pollution-reduction behaviors, and support for both alternative water sources and raingardens. These findings confirm the importance of community knowledge, and identify potential subgroups who may require additional targeting to build knowledge and support for water management initiatives.

  16. Community Knowledge about Water: Who Has Better Knowledge and Is This Associated with Water-Related Behaviors and Support for Water-Related Policies?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, Angela J; Fielding, Kelly S; Newton, Fiona J

    2016-01-01

    Sustainable approaches to water management require broad community acceptance of changes in policy, practice and technology, which in turn, requires an engaged community. A critical first step in building an engaged community is to identify community knowledge about water management, an issue rarely examined in research. To address this, we surveyed a representative sample of Australian adults (n = 5172). Knowledge was assessed using 15 questions about impact of household activities on waterways, the urban water cycle, and water management. This survey also examined demographics, psychosocial characteristics, exposure to water-related information, and water-related behaviors and policy support. Participants correctly answered a mean of 8.0 questions (Range 0-15). Most respondents knew that household actions can reduce water use and influence waterway health, whereas less than one third correctly identified that domestic wastewater is treated prior to entering waterways, urban stormwater is not treated, and that these are carried via different pipes. Higher water knowledge was associated with older age, higher education and living in non-urban areas. Poorer water knowledge was associated with speaking a language other than English in the home. Garden size, experience of water restrictions, satisfaction, waterway use for swimming, and certain information sources were also associated with knowledge. Greater water knowledge was associated with adoption of water-saving and pollution-reduction behaviors, and support for both alternative water sources and raingardens. These findings confirm the importance of community knowledge, and identify potential subgroups who may require additional targeting to build knowledge and support for water management initiatives.

  17. WHO water quality standards Vs Synergic effect(s) of fluoride, heavy metals and hardness in drinking water on kidney tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wasana, Hewa M. S.; Perera, Gamage D. R. K.; Gunawardena, Panduka De S.; Fernando, Palika S.; Bandara, Jayasundera

    2017-02-01

    Despite WHO standards, waterborne diseases among the human being are rising alarmingly. It is known that the prolong exposure to contaminated water has major impact on public health. The effect of chemical contaminations in drinking water on human being is found to be chronic rather than acute and hence can be defined “consumption of contaminated drinking water could be a silent killer”. As the WHO recommended water quality standards are only for individual element and synergic effects of trace metals and anions have not been considered, investigation of synergic effects of trace metals and anions and their effect on human being is of prime important research. By an animal trial, we investigated the synergic effect(s) of heavy metals, aluminium, arsenic, fluoride and hardness in drinking water on kidney tissues of mice. Our investigation strongly suggests existing of a synergic effect especially among Cd, F and hardness of water which could lead to severe kidney damage in mice, even at WHO maximum recommended levels. Hence, the synergic effect(s) of trace metals, fluoride and hardness present in drinking water should be investigated meticulously when stipulating the water quality at WHO maximum recommended levels.

  18. Determination of fluoroquinolones in fish tissues, biological fluids, and environmental waters by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziarrusta, Haizea; Val, Nahia; Dominguez, Haizea; Mijangos, Leire; Prieto, Ailette; Usobiaga, Aresatz; Etxebarria, Nestor; Zuloaga, Olatz; Olivares, Maitane

    2017-11-01

    This work describes the optimization, validation, and application in real samples of accurate and precise analytical methods to determine ten fluoroquinolones (FQs) (norfloxacin, enoxacin, pefloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, lomefloxacin, enrofloxacin, and sparfloxacin) in different environmental matrices, such as water (estuarine, seawater, and wastewater treatment plant effluent), fish tissues (muscle and liver), and fish biofluids (plasma and bile). The analysis step performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was fully optimized to improve the separation and detection steps. The extraction of analytes from fish tissues was accomplished using focused ultrasound solid-liquid extraction using methanol/acetic acid (95:5 v/v) as extractant. The preconcentration and clean-up steps were optimized in terms of extraction efficiency and cleanliness and the best strategy for each matrix was selected: (i) Oasis HLB for seawater and muscle, (ii) liquid-liquid extraction combined with Oasis HLB for the lipid-rich liver, (iii) the combination of Evolute-WAX and Oasis HLB for estuarine water and wastewater treatment plant effluent, and (iv) molecular imprinted polymers for biofluids. The methods afforded satisfactory apparent recoveries (80-126%) and repeatability (RSD < 15%), except for sparfloxacin, which showed a lack of correction with the available isotopically labeled surrogates ([ 2 H 8 ]-ciprofloxacin and [ 2 H 5 ]-enrofloxacin). Ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin were detected in both water and fish liver samples from the Biscay Coast at concentrations up to 278 ng/L and 4 ng/g, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this work is one of the few analyzing up to ten FQs and in so many fish tissues and biofluids. Graphical abstract Determination of fluoroquinolones in different environmental matrices, such as water (estuarine, seawater, and wastewater treatment plant effluent), fish tissues (muscle

  19. Tritiated water uptake kinetics in tissue-free water and organically-bound fractions of tomato plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spencer, F.S.

    1984-03-01

    The kinetics of tritiated water (HTO) vapour uptake into tissue-free water tritium (TFWT) and organically bound tritium (OBT) fractions of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv Vendor, were investigated under controlled growing conditions. Most uptake data fitted a first-order kinetic model, C t = C ∞ (1-e -kt ), where C t is the tritium concentration at time t, Ca the steady-state concentration and k the uptake rate constant. During atmospheric-HTO exposure with clean-water irrigation in open pots the TFWT k values were 0.024 ± 0.023 h -1 for new foliage, 0.104 ± 0.067 h -1 for old foliage and 0.042 ± to 0.136 h -1 for new green fruit. OBT uptake rate constants were 20 percent less for new foliage and 76 percent less for new green fruit. Under steady-state conditions the ratio of tritium specific activities of TWFT to atmospheric HTO were 0.43 in new foliage, 0.46 in old foliage and 0.19 in green fruit. Within the plant, OBT and TFWT ratios were 0.70 for new foliage, 0.63 for old foliage (maximum) and between 0.72 and 1.92 for green fruit. The greater than unity tritium specific activity ratios in green fruit were not attributed to tritium enrichment but rather to the translocation of foliar OBT to the growing fruit which contained lower specific activity TFWT derived from soil water

  20. Fruit response to water-scarcity and biochemical changes : Water relations and biochemical changes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rodríguez, P.; Galindo Egea, Alejandro; Collado-González, J.; Medina, S.; Corell, M.; Memmi, H.; Girón, I.F.; Centeno, A.; Martín-Palomo, M.J.; Cruz, Z.N.; Carbonell-Barrachina, A.A.; Hernandez, F.; Torrecillas, A.; Moriana, A.; Pérez-López, D.; Garcia Tejero, Ivan Francisco; Duran Zuazo, Victor Hugo

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this chapter is to give a general idea of the fruit response to water-scarcity conditions, paying special attention to fruit water relations modification and fruit composition changes, which are key for fruit quality. The strengths and weaknesses of fruit water relations measurement

  1. Present dose limits and their relation to radiosensitivity of different organs and tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1987-01-01

    Dose equivalent limits in relation to dose thresholds are considered for injury of various tissues and organs to evaluate the protection agains non-stochastic irradiation effects by the existing system of dose limitation for radiotherapeutic personnel. Data on tissue radiosensitivity in relation to non-stochastic effects, obtained from radiotherapeutic experience, are presented. Dose threshold values, derived for patients, with a correction in the direction of increase, may be applied to conditions of occupational exposure except for bone marrow, gonads and eye lens, where threshold doses are lower

  2. An exploratory study of relational, persuasive, and nonverbal communication in requests for tissue donation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siminoff, Laura A; Traino, Heather M; Gordon, Nahida H

    2011-10-01

    This study explores the effects of tissue requesters' relational, persuasive, and nonverbal communication on families' final donation decisions. One thousand sixteen (N = 1,016) requests for tissue donation were audiotaped and analyzed using the Siminoff Communication Content and Affect Program, a computer application specifically designed to code and assist with the quantitative analysis of communication data. This study supports the important role of communication strategies in health-related decision making. Families were more likely to consent to tissue donation when confirmational messages (e.g., messages that expressed validation or acceptance) or persuasive tactics such as credibility, altruism, or esteem were used during donation discussions. Consent was also more likely when family members exhibited nonverbal immediacy or disclosed private information about themselves or the patient. The results of a hierarchical log-linear regression revealed that the use of relational communication during requests directly predicted family consent. The results provide information about surrogate decision making in end-of-life situations and may be used to guide future practice in obtaining family consent to tissue donation.

  3. MR imaging of experimental subdural bleeding. Correlates of brain deformation and tissue water content, and changes in vital physiological parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orlin, J.R.; Thuomas, K.Aa.; Ponten, U.; Bergstroem, K.; Zwetnow, N.N.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate morphological and physiological changes during acute lethal subdural bleeding in 2 models of anaesthetized dogs. Material and Methods: In model I, blood from the aorta was led into a collapsed subdural rubber balloon while in model II, the blood was directed into the subdural compartment over the left cerebral frontoparietal lobe. Eight vital physiological parameters were continuously registered. MR imaging visualized the compression and displacement of cerebral tissue, and assessed the dynamic changes in cerebral tissue water. Results: In model I, tissue herniation and compression of cerebral ventricles led to death at a haematoma volume corresponding to 8% of the intracranial volume. In model II, the extravasated blood progressed infratentorially and into the spinal sac with a volume that was 3 times larger than that of the lethal haematoma. Tissue water increased almost linearly during bleeding in both models. (orig.)

  4. 40 CFR 230.52 - Water-related recreation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Section 230.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING SECTION... Effects on Human Use Characteristics § 230.52 Water-related recreation. (a) Water-related recreation.... canoeing and sight-seeing. (b) Possible loss of values: One of the more important direct impacts of dredged...

  5. SU-F-J-193: Efficient Dose Extinction Method for Water Equivalent Path Length (WEPL) of Real Tissue Samples for Validation of CT HU to Stopping Power Conversion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, R; Baer, E; Jee, K; Sharp, G; Flanz, J; Lu, H

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: For proton therapy, an accurate model of CT HU to relative stopping power (RSP) conversion is essential. In current practice, validation of these models relies solely on measurements of tissue substitutes with standard compositions. Validation based on real tissue samples would be much more direct and can address variations between patients. This study intends to develop an efficient and accurate system based on the concept of dose extinction to measure WEPL and retrieve RSP in biological tissue in large number of types. Methods: A broad AP proton beam delivering a spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) is used to irradiate the samples with a Matrixx detector positioned immediately below. A water tank was placed on top of the samples, with the water level controllable in sub-millimeter by a remotely controlled dosing pump. While gradually lowering the water level with beam on, the transmission dose was recorded at 1 frame/sec. The WEPL were determined as the difference between the known beam range of the delivered SOBP (80%) and the water level corresponding to 80% of measured dose profiles in time. A Gammex 467 phantom was used to test the system and various types of biological tissue was measured. Results: RSP for all Gammex inserts, expect the one made with lung-450 material (<2% error), were determined within ±0.5% error. Depends on the WEPL of investigated phantom, a measurement takes around 10 min, which can be accelerated by a faster pump. Conclusion: Based on the concept of dose extinction, a system was explored to measure WEPL efficiently and accurately for a large number of samples. This allows the validation of CT HU to stopping power conversions based on large number of samples and real tissues. It also allows the assessment of beam uncertainties due to variations over patients, which issue has never been sufficiently studied before.

  6. SU-F-J-193: Efficient Dose Extinction Method for Water Equivalent Path Length (WEPL) of Real Tissue Samples for Validation of CT HU to Stopping Power Conversion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, R; Baer, E; Jee, K; Sharp, G; Flanz, J; Lu, H [Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: For proton therapy, an accurate model of CT HU to relative stopping power (RSP) conversion is essential. In current practice, validation of these models relies solely on measurements of tissue substitutes with standard compositions. Validation based on real tissue samples would be much more direct and can address variations between patients. This study intends to develop an efficient and accurate system based on the concept of dose extinction to measure WEPL and retrieve RSP in biological tissue in large number of types. Methods: A broad AP proton beam delivering a spread out Bragg peak (SOBP) is used to irradiate the samples with a Matrixx detector positioned immediately below. A water tank was placed on top of the samples, with the water level controllable in sub-millimeter by a remotely controlled dosing pump. While gradually lowering the water level with beam on, the transmission dose was recorded at 1 frame/sec. The WEPL were determined as the difference between the known beam range of the delivered SOBP (80%) and the water level corresponding to 80% of measured dose profiles in time. A Gammex 467 phantom was used to test the system and various types of biological tissue was measured. Results: RSP for all Gammex inserts, expect the one made with lung-450 material (<2% error), were determined within ±0.5% error. Depends on the WEPL of investigated phantom, a measurement takes around 10 min, which can be accelerated by a faster pump. Conclusion: Based on the concept of dose extinction, a system was explored to measure WEPL efficiently and accurately for a large number of samples. This allows the validation of CT HU to stopping power conversions based on large number of samples and real tissues. It also allows the assessment of beam uncertainties due to variations over patients, which issue has never been sufficiently studied before.

  7. Expression of Msx-1 is suppressed in bisphosphonate associated osteonecrosis related jaw tissue-etiopathology considerations respecting jaw developmental biology-related unique features

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schlegel Karl A

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bone-destructive disease treatments include bisphosphonates and antibodies against the osteoclast differentiator, RANKL (aRANKL; however, osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ is a frequent side-effect. Current models fail to explain the restriction of bisphosphonate (BP-related and denosumab (anti-RANKL antibody-related ONJ to jaws. Msx-1 is exclusively expressed in craniofacial structures and pivotal to cranial neural crest (CNC-derived periodontal tissue remodeling. We hypothesised that Msx-1 expression might be impaired in bisphosphonate-related ONJ. The study aim was to elucidate Msx-1 and RANKL-associated signal transduction (BMP-2/4, RANKL in ONJ-altered and healthy periodontal tissue. Methods Twenty ONJ and twenty non-BP exposed periodontal samples were processed for RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. An automated staining-based alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase method was used to measure the stained cells:total cell-number ratio (labelling index, Bonferroni adjustment. Real-time RT-PCR was performed on ONJ-affected and healthy jaw periodontal samples (n = 20 each to quantitatively compare Msx-1, BMP-2, RANKL, and GAPDH mRNA levels. Results Semi-quantitative assessment of the ratio of stained cells showed decreased Msx-1 and RANKL and increased BMP-2/4 (all p Conclusions These results explain the sclerotic and osteopetrotic changes of periodontal tissue following BP application and substantiate clinical findings of BP-related impaired remodeling specific to periodontal tissue. RANKL suppression substantiated the clinical finding of impaired bone remodelling in BP- and aRANKL-induced ONJ-affected bone structures. Msx-1 suppression in ONJ-adjacent periodontal tissue suggested a bisphosphonate-related impairment in cellular differentiation that occurred exclusively jaw remodelling. Further research on developmental biology-related unique features of jaw bone structures will help to elucidate pathologies restricted to

  8. Dosimetric characterization of model Cs-1 Rev2 cesium-131 brachytherapy source in water phantoms and human tissues with MCNP5 Monte Carlo simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jianhua; Zhang Hualin

    2008-01-01

    A recently developed alternative brachytherapy seed, Cs-1 Rev2 cesium-131, has begun to be used in clinical practice. The dosimetric characteristics of this source in various media, particularly in human tissues, have not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to calculate the dosimetric parameters for the Cs-1 Rev2 cesium-131 seed following the recommendations of the AAPM TG-43U1 report [Rivard et al., Med. Phys. 31, 633-674 (2004)] for new sources in brachytherapy applications. Dose rate constants, radial dose functions, and anisotropy functions of the source in water, Virtual Water, and relevant human soft tissues were calculated using MCNP5 Monte Carlo simulations following the TG-43U1 formalism. The results yielded dose rate constants of 1.048, 1.024, 1.041, and 1.044 cGy h -1 U -1 in water, Virtual Water, muscle, and prostate tissue, respectively. The conversion factor for this new source between water and Virtual Water was 1.02, between muscle and water was 1.006, and between prostate and water was 1.004. The authors' calculation of anisotropy functions in a Virtual Water phantom agreed closely with Murphy's measurements [Murphy et al., Med. Phys. 31, 1529-1538 (2004)]. Our calculations of the radial dose function in water and Virtual Water have good agreement with those in previous experimental and Monte Carlo studies. The TG-43U1 parameters for clinical applications in water, muscle, and prostate tissue are presented in this work

  9. ESKIMO1 disruption in Arabidopsis alters vascular tissue and impairs water transport.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valérie Lefebvre

    Full Text Available Water economy in agricultural practices is an issue that is being addressed through studies aimed at understanding both plant water-use efficiency (WUE, i.e. biomass produced per water consumed, and responses to water shortage. In the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, the ESKIMO1 (ESK1 gene has been described as involved in freezing, cold and salt tolerance as well as in water economy: esk1 mutants have very low evapo-transpiration rates and high water-use efficiency. In order to establish ESK1 function, detailed characterization of esk1 mutants has been carried out. The stress hormone ABA (abscisic acid was present at high levels in esk1 compared to wild type, nevertheless, the weak water loss of esk1 was independent of stomata closure through ABA biosynthesis, as combining mutant in this pathway with esk1 led to additive phenotypes. Measurement of root hydraulic conductivity suggests that the esk1 vegetative apparatus suffers water deficit due to a defect in water transport. ESK1 promoter-driven reporter gene expression was observed in xylem and fibers, the vascular tissue responsible for the transport of water and mineral nutrients from the soil to the shoots, via the roots. Moreover, in cross sections of hypocotyls, roots and stems, esk1 xylem vessels were collapsed. Finally, using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, severe chemical modifications of xylem cell wall composition were highlighted in the esk1 mutants. Taken together our findings show that ESK1 is necessary for the production of functional xylem vessels, through its implication in the laying down of secondary cell wall components.

  10. Solid tissue simulating phantoms having absorption at 970 nm for diffuse optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Gordon T.; Lentsch, Griffin R.; Trieu, Brandon; Ponticorvo, Adrien; Saager, Rolf B.; Durkin, Anthony J.

    2017-07-01

    Tissue simulating phantoms can provide a valuable platform for quantitative evaluation of the performance of diffuse optical devices. While solid phantoms have been developed for applications related to characterizing exogenous fluorescence and intrinsic chromophores such as hemoglobin and melanin, we report the development of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) tissue phantom that mimics the spectral characteristics of tissue water. We have developed these phantoms to mimic different water fractions in tissue, with the purpose of testing new devices within the context of clinical applications such as burn wound triage. Compared to liquid phantoms, cured PDMS phantoms are easier to transport and use and have a longer usable life than gelatin-based phantoms. As silicone is hydrophobic, 9606 dye was used to mimic the optical absorption feature of water in the vicinity of 970 nm. Scattering properties are determined by adding titanium dioxide, which yields a wavelength-dependent scattering coefficient similar to that observed in tissue in the near-infrared. Phantom properties were characterized and validated using the techniques of inverse adding-doubling and spatial frequency domain imaging. Results presented here demonstrate that we can fabricate solid phantoms that can be used to simulate different water fractions.

  11. Transgenic zebrafish reveal tissue-specific differences in estrogen signaling in response to environmental water samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorelick, Daniel A; Iwanowicz, Luke R; Hung, Alice L; Blazer, Vicki S; Halpern, Marnie E

    2014-04-01

    Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) are exogenous chemicals that mimic endogenous hormones such as estrogens. Previous studies using a zebrafish transgenic reporter demonstrated that the EEDs bisphenol A and genistein preferentially activate estrogen receptors (ERs) in the larval heart compared with the liver. However, it was not known whether the transgenic zebrafish reporter was sensitive enough to detect estrogens from environmental samples, whether environmental estrogens would exhibit tissue-specific effects similar to those of BPA and genistein, or why some compounds preferentially target receptors in the heart. We tested surface water samples using a transgenic zebrafish reporter with tandem estrogen response elements driving green fluorescent protein expression (5xERE:GFP). Reporter activation was colocalized with tissue-specific expression of ER genes by RNA in situ hybridization. We observed selective patterns of ER activation in transgenic fish exposed to river water samples from the Mid-Atlantic United States, with several samples preferentially activating receptors in embryonic and larval heart valves. We discovered that tissue specificity in ER activation was due to differences in the expression of ER subtypes. ERα was expressed in developing heart valves but not in the liver, whereas ERβ2 had the opposite profile. Accordingly, subtype-specific ER agonists activated the reporter in either the heart valves or the liver. The use of 5xERE:GFP transgenic zebrafish revealed an unexpected tissue-specific difference in the response to environmentally relevant estrogenic compounds. Exposure to estrogenic EEDs in utero was associated with adverse health effects, with the potentially unanticipated consequence of targeting developing heart valves.

  12. Water chemistry-related activities at the IAEA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, H.; Onufriev, V.

    2005-01-01

    Water chemistry activities and publications in the past are listed. IAEA Coordinated Research Programmes, WWER-1000 SG water chemistry database, materials issues TM in Vienna, TC workshops and attendance of international meetings, publications. There is a list of IAEA publications related to water chemistry and corrosion. Finally water chemistry activities planned for 2006-2008 are detailed. (N.T.)

  13. A probe-based quantitative PCR assay for detecting Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae in fish tissue and environmental DNA water samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchins, Patrick; Sepulveda, Adam; Martin, Renee; Hopper, Lacey

    2017-01-01

    A probe-based quantitative real-time PCR assay was developed to detect Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, which causes proliferative kidney disease in salmonid fish, in kidney tissue and environmental DNA (eDNA) water samples. The limits of detection and quantification were 7 and 100 DNA copies for calibration standards and T. bryosalmonae was reliably detected down to 100 copies in tissue and eDNA samples. The assay presented here is a highly sensitive and quantitative tool for detecting T. bryosalmonae with potential applications for tissue diagnostics and environmental detection.

  14. Water relations in calla lily flower stems harvested at different opening stages(

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thais Silva Sales

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cut flowers are a well established product and require conservation techniques that help keep postharvest quality for marketing. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate different opening stages of calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica cut stems and their influence on posthaverst. Calla lily stems were harvested in the morning, according to the following opening stages: closed spathe, semi-closed spathe (1/3 open, semi-open spathe (2/3 open and fully open spathe. Once selected and standardized, stems were placed in a controlled room at 21 ± 2 °C and relative humidity of 75 ± 5%, for eight days. The evaluations were conducted daily, observing water pH, commercial quality analysis, width and length of the spathe, fresh weight of stem, water absorption and transpiration. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments (opening stages, five replicates and two stems by plot. The model used was split plot in time, with harvest stages as plots, and evaluation days as subplots. Calla lily harvested at closed spathe and semi-closed spathe (1/3 open, showed spathe opening, although it did not achieve fully spathe expansion, had higher water uptake and hydration of flower stems, and increased water retention capacity by floral tissues until saturation, followed by a period of weight reduction caused by transpiration rates greater than absorption.

  15. Evaluation of yield and water-level relations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cushman, R.L.; Purtymun, W.D.

    1975-10-01

    Yield and water relations in the Los Alamos supply wells were evaluated because of the increasing demand for water. Water-level declines were extrapolated for 10 yr, to 1983, on the basis of past records. On the basis of current pumpage, the extrapolations indicate that nonpumping water levels in individual wells will decline from 10 to 30 ft. Well characteristics were compiled to provide an individual history of each well, and recommendations for improving water production are presented

  16. Monte Carlo based water/medium stopping-power ratios for various ICRP and ICRU tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez-Varea, Jose M; Carrasco, Pablo; Panettieri, Vanessa; Brualla, Lorenzo

    2007-01-01

    Water/medium stopping-power ratios, s w,m , have been calculated for several ICRP and ICRU tissues, namely adipose tissue, brain, cortical bone, liver, lung (deflated and inflated) and spongiosa. The considered clinical beams were 6 and 18 MV x-rays and the field size was 10 x 10 cm 2 . Fluence distributions were scored at a depth of 10 cm using the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE. The collision stopping powers for the studied tissues were evaluated employing the formalism of ICRU Report 37 (1984 Stopping Powers for Electrons and Positrons (Bethesda, MD: ICRU)). The Bragg-Gray values of s w,m calculated with these ingredients range from about 0.98 (adipose tissue) to nearly 1.14 (cortical bone), displaying a rather small variation with beam quality. Excellent agreement, to within 0.1%, is found with stopping-power ratios reported by Siebers et al (2000a Phys. Med. Biol. 45 983-95) for cortical bone, inflated lung and spongiosa. In the case of cortical bone, s w,m changes approximately 2% when either ICRP or ICRU compositions are adopted, whereas the stopping-power ratios of lung, brain and adipose tissue are less sensitive to the selected composition. The mass density of lung also influences the calculated values of s w,m , reducing them by around 1% (6 MV) and 2% (18 MV) when going from deflated to inflated lung

  17. Association of water spectral indices with plant and soil water relations in contrasting wheat genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutierrez, Mario; Reynolds, Matthew P; Klatt, Arthur R

    2010-07-01

    Spectral reflectance indices can be used to estimate the water status of plants in a rapid, non-destructive manner. Water spectral indices were measured on wheat under a range of water-deficit conditions in field-based yield trials to establish their relationship with water relations parameters as well as available volumetric soil water (AVSW) to indicate soil water extraction patterns. Three types of wheat germplasm were studied which showed a range of drought adaptation; near-isomorphic sister lines from an elite/elite cross, advanced breeding lines, and lines derived from interspecific hybridization with wild relatives (synthetic derivative lines). Five water spectral indices (one water index and four normalized water indices) based on near infrared wavelengths were determined under field conditions between the booting and grain-filling stages of crop development. Among all water spectral indices, one in particular, which was denominated as NWI-3, showed the most consistent associations with water relations parameters and demonstrated the strongest associations in all three germplasm sets. NWI-3 showed a strong linear relationship (r(2) >0.6-0.8) with leaf water potential (psi(leaf)) across a broad range of values (-2.0 to -4.0 MPa) that were determined by natural variation in the environment associated with intra- and inter-seasonal affects. Association observed between NWI-3 and canopy temperature (CT) was consistent with the idea that genotypes with a better hydration status have a larger water flux (increased stomatal conductance) during the day. NWI-3 was also related to soil water potential (psi(soil)) and AVSW, indicating that drought-adapted lines could extract more water from deeper soil profiles to maintain favourable water relations. NWI-3 was sufficiently sensitive to detect genotypic differences (indicated by phenotypic and genetic correlations) in water status at the canopy and soil levels indicating its potential application in precision

  18. The association between breast tissue optical content and mammographic density in pre- and post-menopausal women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina M Blackmore

    Full Text Available Mammographic density (MD, associated with higher water and lower fat content in the breast, is strongly related to breast cancer risk. Optical attenuation spectroscopy (OS is a non-imaging method of evaluating breast tissue composition by red and near-infrared light transmitted through the breast that, unlike mammography, does not involve radiation. OS provides information on wavelength dependent light scattering of tissue and on absorption by water, lipid, oxy-, deoxy-hemoglobin. We propose that OS could be an alternative marker of breast cancer risk and that OS breast tissue measures will be associated with MD. In the present analysis, we developed an algorithm to estimate breast tissue composition and light scattering parameters using a spectrally constrained global fitting procedure employing a diffuse light transport model. OS measurements were obtained from 202 pre- and post-menopausal women with normal mammograms. Percent density (PD and dense area (DA were measured using Cumulus. The association between OS tissue composition and PD and DA was analyzed using linear regression adjusted for body mass index. Among pre-menopausal women, lipid content was significantly inversely associated with square root transformed PD (β = -0.05, p = 0.0002 and DA (β = -0.05, p = 0.019; water content was significantly positively associated with PD (β = 0.06, p = 0.008. Tissue oxygen saturation was marginally inversely associated with PD (β = -0.03, p = 0.057 but significantly inversely associated with DA (β = -0.10, p = 0.002. Among post-menopausal women lipid and water content were significantly associated (negatively and positively, respectively with PD (β lipid = -0.08, β water = 0.14, both p<0.0001 and DA (β lipid = -0.10, p<0.0001; β water = 0.11, p = 0.001. The association between OS breast content and PD and DA is consistent with more proliferation in dense tissue of younger women, greater lipid content in low density tissue and higher water

  19. Age-related changes in dynamic compressive properties of trochanteric soft tissues over the hip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, W J; Russell, C M; Tsai, C M; Arzanpour, S; Robinovitch, S N

    2015-02-26

    Hip fracture risk increases dramatically with age, and 90% of fractures are due to falls. During a fall on the hip, the soft tissues overlying the hip region (skin, fat, and muscle) act as shock absorbers to absorb energy and reduce the peak force applied to the underlying bone. We conducted dynamic indentation experiments with young women (aged 19-30; n=17) and older women (aged 65-81; n=17) to test the hypothesis that changes occur with age in the stiffness and damping properties of these tissues. Tissue stiffness and damping were derived from experiments where subjects lay sideways on a bed with the greater trochanter contacting a 3.8cm diameter indenter, which applied sinusoidal compression between 5 to 30Hz with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1mm. Soft tissue thickness was measured using ultrasound. On average, stiffness was 2.9-fold smaller in older than young women (5.7 versus 16.8kN/m, p=0.0005) and damping was 3.5-fold smaller in older than young women (81 versus 282Ns/m, p=0.001). Neither parameter associated with soft tissue thickness. Our results indicate substantial age-related reductions in the stiffness and damping of soft tissues over the hip region, which likely reduce their capacity to absorb and dissipate energy (before "bottoming out") during a fall. Strategies such as wearable hip protectors or compliant flooringmay compensate for age-related reductions in the shock-absorbing properties of soft tissues and decrease the injury potential of falls. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Changes In water translocation in the vascular tissue of grape during fruit development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhaosen, X.; Forney, C.F.

    2014-01-01

    The relationship between vascular water translocation in grapes and berry growth was investigated. Berry growth, firmness and turgor were measured, and the structure and function of the vascular bundles for water translocation was observed. During phase I fruit development, the dorsal and central vascular bundles rapidly translocated introduced dye in the pedicle. The speed of dye translocation was highest in the dorsal vascular bundles of phase I fruit with a speed of 0.97cm/h. After phase II, both the distribution of dye and the speed of dye translocation in the fruit vascular tissue decreased, with speeds in the dorsal and central vascular bundles being 0.08 cm/h and 0.72 cm/h, respectively. During phase III, the distribution of dye was still lower than phase I. After phase II, the walls of some xylem vessels were indistinct and broken. After phase III, even though the water translocation efficiency of the xylem decreased, sugar accumulation in the berry as well as osmoregulation increased. (author)

  1. Dose in water or dose in tissue. Still a theme of debate; Dosis en agua o dosis en tejido-todavia un tema de debate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andreo, P.

    2015-07-01

    It is shown that the method used so Siebers to convert to Dw Dt, or vice versa, is incorrect. Due to the substantial difference between the electron fluence in water and various tissues, an additional correction for creep, several percent for some bone tissues, which is ignored in the method Siebers needed. Correction is necessary even if an environment that clinically adopted dose in tissue due to normalization of TPS because the beams are always calibrated in terms of absorbed dose in water. (Author)

  2. Biochemical response of hybrid black poplar tissue culture (Populus × canadensis) on water stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popović, B M; Štajner, D; Ždero-Pavlović, R; Tari, I; Csiszár, J; Gallé, Á; Poór, P; Galović, V; Trudić, B; Orlović, S

    2017-05-01

    In this study, poplar tissue culture (hybrid black poplar, M1 genotype) was subjected to water stress influenced by polyethyleneglycol 6000 (100 and 200 mOsm PEG 6000). The aim of the research was to investigate the biochemical response of poplar tissue culture on water deficit regime. Antioxidant status was analyzed including antioxidant enzymes, superoxide-dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), guiacol-peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione-reductase, reduced glutathione, total phenol content, Ferric reducing antioxidant power and DPPH radical antioxidant power. Polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine-ammonium-lyase were determined as enzymatic markers of polyphenol metabolism. Among oxidative stress parameters lipid peroxidation, carbonyl-proteins, hydrogen-peroxide, reactive oxygen species, nitric-oxide and peroxynitrite were determined. Proline, proline-dehydrogenase and glycinebetaine were measured also as parameters of water stress. Cell viability is finally determined as a biological indicator of osmotic stress. It was found that water stress induced reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and lipid peroxidation in leaves of hybrid black poplar and reduced cell viability. Antioxidant enzymes including SOD, GPx, CAT and GSH-Px were induced but total phenol content and antioxidant capacity were reduced by PEG 6000 mediated osmotic stress. The highest biochemical response and adaptive reaction was the increase of proline and GB especially by 200 mOsm PEG. While long term molecular analysis will be necessary to fully address the poplar potentials for water stress adaptation, our results on hybrid black poplar suggest that glycine-betaine, proline and PDH enzyme might be the most important markers of poplar on water stress and that future efforts should be focused on these markers and strategies to enhance their concentration in poplar.

  3. Ray tissues as an indirect measure of relative sap-sugar concentration in sugar maple

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter W. Garrett; Kenneth R. Dudzik; Kenneth R. Dudzik

    1989-01-01

    Attempts to correlate ray tissue as a percentage of total wood volume with sap-sugar concentrations of sugar maple progenies were unsuccessful. These results raise doubts about our ability to use a relatively constant value such as ray-tissue volume in a selection program designed to increase the sap-sugar concentration of sugar maple seedlings.

  4. Biocompatible, biodegradable polymer-based, lighter than or light as water scaffolds for tissue engineering and methods for preparation and use thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Mohammed Yusuf (Inventor); Laurencin, Cato T. (Inventor); Lu, Helen H. (Inventor); Botchwey, Edward (Inventor); Pollack, Solomon R. (Inventor); Levine, Elliot (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    Scaffolds for tissue engineering prepared from biocompatible, biodegradable polymer-based, lighter than or light as water microcarriers and designed for cell culturing in vitro in a rotating bioreactor are provided. Methods for preparation and use of these scaffolds as tissue engineering devices are also provided.

  5. Biokinetic aspects of tissue-bound tritium in algae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strack, S.; Kistner, G.

    1978-01-01

    For the estimate of the radiation exposure of man and for the calculation of the risk of artificial tritium from nuclear power plants, organic tissue-bound tritium is of decisive importance. In model experiments, a tritium incorporation of 61 to 71% was found from tritiated water (HTO) into organic matter of planctonic algae under reproducible conditions and this was related to the theoretical value. In further experiments the tritium release from these high tritiated algae was of interest. Kept in darkness in tritium-free, non-sterile river water, so that autolytic processes and bacterial decomposition could occur, the concentration of HTO was measured over a period of three weeks. A relatively long half-life of tissue-bound tritium was found under various temperature conditions. Therefore it must be considered that a significant retention of tritium in biological matter has to be taken into account in a natural ecosystem. In streams into which the cooling water of a nuclear reactor is released all conditions are found already for a long turnover and cycling of artificial tritium in living organisms as well as the conditions for a favourable transport of tritium by food chains to man. (Auth.)

  6. Heavy metals and hydrocarbon concentrations in water, sediments and tissue of Cyclope neritea from two sites in Suez Canal, Egypt and histopathological effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharaf, Hesham M; Shehata, Abdalla M

    2015-01-01

    Heavy metals and hydrocarbons are of the most common marine pollutants around the world. The present study aimed to assess the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals in tissues of the snail cyclope neritea, water and sediments from two sites of the study area (Temsah lake and Suez canal) represent polluted and unpolluted sites respectively. The results showed that, the levels of the heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Co, Mg and Zn) in the polluted area have reached harmful limits recorded globally. Lead in water, sediment and tissue of the snail reached to 0.95 ppm, 4.54 ppm and 7.93 ppm respectively. Cadmium reached 0.31 ppm, 1.15 ppm and 3.08 ppm in the corresponding samples. Cobalt was not detected in water, but it reached 1.42 ppm and 10.36 ppm in the sediment and snails tissue respectively. Magnesium in water, sediment and tissue of the snail reached 3.73 ppm, 9.44 ppm and12.6 ppm respectively. Zinc reached 0.11 ppm, 3.89 ppm and 12.60ppm in the corresponding samples. Meanwhile, hydrocarbons in the polluted area (site1) reached 110.10 μg/L, 980.15 μg/g and 228.00 μg/g in water sediment and digestive gland tissues of the snails respectively. Whereas, hydrocarbons in the unpolluted area (site2) were estimated as 14.20 μg/L, 55.60 μg/g and 22.66 μg/g in water, sediment and tissue of the snails respectively. The combination of histopathological image with monitoring of the metal level in the digestive gland of the present snail provides an important tool for early detection of impending environmental problems and potential public health issues. Petroleum hydrocarbons are toxic to the marine fauna when present above certain limit in the marine water. The major detoxification organ in molluscs is the digestive gland, which has been used as a bioindicator organ for toxicity assessment. The effect of high crude oil on the digestive gland tubules of exposed snails when examined microscopically reveals a series of histological changes which indicates that the

  7. Modelling reveals endogenous osmotic adaptation of storage tissue water potential as an important driver determining different stem diameter variation patterns in the mangrove species Avicennia marina and Rhizophora stylosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandegehuchte, Maurits W; Guyot, Adrien; Hubeau, Michiel; De Swaef, Tom; Lockington, David A; Steppe, Kathy

    2014-09-01

    Stem diameter variations are mainly determined by the radial water transport between xylem and storage tissues. This radial transport results from the water potential difference between these tissues, which is influenced by both hydraulic and carbon related processes. Measurements have shown that when subjected to the same environmental conditions, the co-occurring mangrove species Avicennia marina and Rhizophora stylosa unexpectedly show a totally different pattern in daily stem diameter variation. Using in situ measurements of stem diameter variation, stem water potential and sap flow, a mechanistic flow and storage model based on the cohesion-tension theory was applied to assess the differences in osmotic storage water potential between Avicennia marina and Rhizophora stylosa. Both species, subjected to the same environmental conditions, showed a resembling daily pattern in simulated osmotic storage water potential. However, the osmotic storage water potential of R. stylosa started to decrease slightly after that of A. marina in the morning and increased again slightly later in the evening. This small shift in osmotic storage water potential likely underlaid the marked differences in daily stem diameter variation pattern between the two species. The results show that in addition to environmental dynamics, endogenous changes in the osmotic storage water potential must be taken into account in order to accurately predict stem diameter variations, and hence growth.

  8. Contaminants of emerging concern in the Great Lakes Basin: A report on sediment, water, and fish tissue chemistry collected in 2010-2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choy, Steven J.; Annis, Mandy L.; Banda, JoAnn; Bowman, Sarah R.; Brigham, Mark E.; Elliott, Sarah M.; Gefell, Daniel J.; Jankowski, Mark D.; Jorgenson, Zachary G.; Lee, Kathy E.; Moore, Jeremy N.; Tucker, William A.

    2017-01-01

    Despite being detected at low levels in surface waters and sediments across the United States, contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the Great Lakes Basin are not well characterized in terms of spatial and temporal occurrence. Additionally, although the detrimental effects of exposure to CECs on fish and wildlife have been documented for many CECs in laboratory studies, we do not adequately understand the implications of the presence of CECs in the environment. Based on limited studies using current environmentally relevant concentrations of chemicals, however, risks to fish and wildlife are evident. As a result, there is an increasing urgency to address data gaps that are vital to resource management decisions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey, is leading a Great Lakes Basin-wide evaluation of CECs (CEC Project) with the objectives to (a) characterize the spatial and temporal distribution of CECs; (b) evaluate risks to fish and wildlife resources; and (c) develop tools to aid resource managers in detecting, averting, or minimizing the ecological consequences to fish and wildlife that are exposed to CECs. This report addresses objective (a) of the CEC Project, summarizing sediment and water chemistry data collected from 2010 to 2012 and fish liver tissue chemistry data collected in 2012; characterizes the sampling locations with respect to potential sources of CECs in the landscape; and provides an initial interpretation of the variation in CEC concentrations relative to the identified sources. Data collected during the first three years of our study, which included 12 sampling locations and analysis of 134 chemicals, indicate that contaminants were more frequently detected in sediment compared to water. Chemicals classified as alkyphenols, flavors/ fragrances, hormones, PAHs, and sterols had higher average detection frequencies in sediment compared to water, while the opposite was observed for pesticides

  9. Expression of Msx-1 is suppressed in bisphosphonate associated osteonecrosis related jaw tissue-etiopathology considerations respecting jaw developmental biology-related unique features.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wehrhan, Falk; Hyckel, Peter; Ries, Jutta; Stockmann, Phillip; Nkenke, Emeka; Schlegel, Karl A; Neukam, Friedrich W; Amann, Kerstin

    2010-10-13

    Bone-destructive disease treatments include bisphosphonates and antibodies against the osteoclast differentiator, RANKL (aRANKL); however, osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a frequent side-effect. Current models fail to explain the restriction of bisphosphonate (BP)-related and denosumab (anti-RANKL antibody)-related ONJ to jaws. Msx-1 is exclusively expressed in craniofacial structures and pivotal to cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived periodontal tissue remodeling. We hypothesised that Msx-1 expression might be impaired in bisphosphonate-related ONJ. The study aim was to elucidate Msx-1 and RANKL-associated signal transduction (BMP-2/4, RANKL) in ONJ-altered and healthy periodontal tissue. Twenty ONJ and twenty non-BP exposed periodontal samples were processed for RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. An automated staining-based alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase method was used to measure the stained cells:total cell-number ratio (labelling index, Bonferroni adjustment). Real-time RT-PCR was performed on ONJ-affected and healthy jaw periodontal samples (n = 20 each) to quantitatively compare Msx-1, BMP-2, RANKL, and GAPDH mRNA levels. Semi-quantitative assessment of the ratio of stained cells showed decreased Msx-1 and RANKL and increased BMP-2/4 (all p Msx-1 (p Msx-1 suppression in ONJ-adjacent periodontal tissue suggested a bisphosphonate-related impairment in cellular differentiation that occurred exclusively jaw remodelling. Further research on developmental biology-related unique features of jaw bone structures will help to elucidate pathologies restricted to maxillofacial tissue.

  10. Using autopsy brain tissue to study alcohol-related brain damage in the genomic age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutherland, Greg T; Sheedy, Donna; Kril, Jillian J

    2014-01-01

    The New South Wales Tissue Resource Centre at the University of Sydney, Australia, is one of the few human brain banks dedicated to the study of the effects of chronic alcoholism. The bank was affiliated in 1994 as a member of the National Network of Brain Banks and also focuses on schizophrenia and healthy control tissue. Alcohol abuse is a major problem worldwide, manifesting in such conditions as fetal alcohol syndrome, adolescent binge drinking, alcohol dependency, and alcoholic neurodegeneration. The latter is also referred to as alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). The study of postmortem brain tissue is ideally suited to determining the effects of long-term alcohol abuse, but it also makes an important contribution to understanding pathogenesis across the spectrum of alcohol misuse disorders and potentially other neurodegenerative diseases. Tissue from the bank has contributed to 330 peer-reviewed journal articles including 120 related to alcohol research. Using the results of these articles, this review chronicles advances in alcohol-related brain research since 2003, the so-called genomic age. In particular, it concentrates on transcriptomic approaches to the pathogenesis of ARBD and builds on earlier reviews of structural changes (Harper et al. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2003;27:951) and proteomics (Matsumoto et al. Expert Rev Proteomics 2007;4:539). Copyright © 2013 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  11. Tree water storage and its diurnal dynamics related to sap flow and changes in stem volume in old-growth Douglas-fir trees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cermák, Jan; Kucera, Jiri; Bauerle, William L; Phillips, Nathan; Hinckley, Thomas M

    2007-02-01

    Diurnal and seasonal tree water storage was studied in three large Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) trees at the Wind River Canopy Crane Research site. Changes in water storage were based on measurements of sap flow and changes in stem volume and tissue water content at different heights in the stem and branches. We measured sap flow by two variants of the heat balance method (with internal heating in stems and external heating in branches), stem volume with electronic dendrometers, and tissue water content gravimetrically. Water storage was calculated from the differences in diurnal courses of sap flow at different heights and their integration. Old-growth Douglas-fir trees contained large amounts of free water: stem sapwood was the most important storage site, followed by stem phloem, branch sapwood, branch phloem and needles. There were significant time shifts (minutes to hours) between sap flow measured at different positions within the transport system (i.e., stem base to shoot tip), suggesting a highly elastic transport system. On selected fine days between late July and early October, when daily transpiration ranged from 150 to 300 liters, the quantity of stored water used daily ranged from 25 to 55 liters, i.e., about 20% of daily total sap flow. The greatest amount of this stored water came from the lower stem; however, proportionally more water was removed from the upper parts of the tree relative to their water storage capacity. In addition to lags in sap flow from one point in the hydrolic pathway to another, the withdrawal and replacement of stored water was reflected in changes in stem volume. When point-to-point lags in sap flow (minutes to hours near the top and stem base, respectively) were considered, there was a strong linear relationship between stem volume changes and transpiration. Volume changes of the whole tree were small (equivalent to 14% of the total daily use of stored water) indicating that most stored water came from

  12. Effect of Strain, Region, and Tissue Composition on Glucose Partitioning in Meniscus Fibrocartilage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinhans, Kelsey L; Jackson, Alicia R

    2017-03-01

    A nearly avascular tissue, the knee meniscus relies on diffusive transport for nutritional supply to cells. Nutrient transport depends on solute partitioning in the tissue, which governs the amount of nutrients that can enter a tissue. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of mechanical strain, tissue region, and tissue composition on the partition coefficient of glucose in meniscus fibrocartilage. A simple partitioning experiment was employed to measure glucose partitioning in porcine meniscus tissues from two regions (horn and central), from both meniscal components (medial and lateral), and at three levels of compression (0%, 10%, and 20%). Partition coefficient values were correlated to strain level, water volume fraction, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of tissue specimens. Partition coefficient values ranged from 0.47 to 0.91 (n = 48). Results show that glucose partition coefficient is significantly (p < 0.001) affected by compression, decreasing with increasing strain. Furthermore, we did not find a statistically significant effect of tissue when comparing medial versus lateral (p = 0.181) or when comparing central and horn regions (p = 0.837). There were significant positive correlations between tissue water volume fraction and glucose partitioning for all groups. However, the correlation between GAG content and partitioning was only significant in the lateral horn group. Determining how glucose partitioning is affected by tissue composition and loading is necessary for understanding nutrient availability and related tissue health and/or degeneration. Therefore, this study is important for better understanding the transport and nutrition-related mechanisms of meniscal degeneration.

  13. Measurement of tissue free water tritium in biological samples by liquid scintillation counter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zongmei; Zheng Xiaomin

    1993-01-01

    The authors introduced a method of extracting tissue free water tritium (TFWT) by the azeotropic distribution with toluene and of measuring the activity of the TFWT in biological samples by liquid scintillation counter. The TFWT recovery ratio of pine needles (fresh), green vegetables, radish, rice, pork (muscle) and milk is 0.90, 0.95, 0.96, 0.90, 0.52 and 0.85, and TFWT activity is 1.8, 3.2, 1.8, 2.7, 3.3 and 4.0 Bq/L-H 2 O, respectively

  14. Water-related planning and design at energy firms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbey, D.; Lucero, F.

    1980-11-01

    Water related planning and design at energy firms are examined. By identifying production alternatives and specifying the cost of these alternatives under a variety of conditions, one gains insight into the future pattern of water use in the energy industry and the response of industry to water-related regulation. In Part II, the three principal decisions of industry that affect water allocation are reviewed: where to build plants, where to get water, and how much water to use. The cost of water use alternatives is reviewed. Part III presents empirical data to substantiate the inferences derived from engineering/economic analysis. The source of water, type of cooling system, and pattern of discharge for electric plants constructed during the 1970s or projected to come on line in this decade are reported. In the 1970s in the US, there was a trend away from once-through cooling toward use of evaporative cooling. Freshwater, as a source of supply, and discharge of effluent were standard practice. In the 1980s, almost all new capacity in the states and basins surveyed will use evaporative cooling. It is pointed out that a thorough understanding of industrial water use economics and water markets is a precursor to successful regulation

  15. A formulation of tissue- and water-equivalent materials using the stoichiometric analysis method for CT-number calibration in radiotherapy treatment planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yohannes, Indra; Kolditz, Daniel; Langner, Oliver; Kalender, Willi A.

    2012-03-01

    Tissue- and water-equivalent materials (TEMs) are widely used in quality assurance and calibration procedures, both in radiodiagnostics and radiotherapy. In radiotherapy, particularly, the TEMs are often used for computed tomography (CT) number calibration in treatment planning systems. However, currently available TEMs may not be very accurate in the determination of the calibration curves due to their limitation in mimicking radiation characteristics of the corresponding real tissues in both low- and high-energy ranges. Therefore, we are proposing a new formulation of TEMs using a stoichiometric analysis method to obtain TEMs for the calibration purposes. We combined the stoichiometric calibration and the basic data method to compose base materials to develop TEMs matching standard real tissues from ICRU Report 44 and 46. First, the CT numbers of six materials with known elemental compositions were measured to get constants for the stoichiometric calibration. The results of the stoichiometric calibration were used together with the basic data method to formulate new TEMs. These new TEMs were scanned to validate their CT numbers. The electron density and the stopping power calibration curves were also generated. The absolute differences of the measured CT numbers of the new TEMs were less than 4 HU for the soft tissues and less than 22 HU for the bone compared to the ICRU real tissues. Furthermore, the calculated relative electron density and electron and proton stopping powers of the new TEMs differed by less than 2% from the corresponding ICRU real tissues. The new TEMs which were formulated using the proposed technique increase the simplicity of the calibration process and preserve the accuracy of the stoichiometric calibration simultaneously.

  16. On the relation between water pools and water holding capacity in cod muscle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Charlotte Møller; Jørgensen, Bo

    2004-01-01

    Low-field 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxations were measured on muscle, minced muscle and centrifuged mince from cod that had been treated under various frozen and chill storage conditions. By using multi-way chemometrics, uni-exponential profiles were obtained, from which the transverse...... relaxation times (T2-values) and the water pool sizes (m- values) were determined. Three pools of water were identified with the different relaxation times and m-values in the centrifuged samples reflecting the removal of loosely bound water. The m-values and the full NMR-signal decays were correlated to two...... measures of water holding capacity (WHC) in a way that WHC related to the original water content could be predicted well for the whole and the minced muscle. The centrifuged samples gave optimal predictions of WHC related to the dry matter content, probably because the centrifuged samples are similar...

  17. The role of pyrimidine and water as underlying molecular constituents for describing radiation damage in living tissue: A comparative study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fuss, M. C.; Ellis-Gibbings, L. [Instituto de Física Fundamental, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Serrano 113-bis, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Jones, D. B. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001 (Australia); Brunger, M. J. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001 (Australia); Institute of Mathematical Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Blanco, F. [Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Muñoz, A. [Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Avenida Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Limão-Vieira, P. [School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001 (Australia); Laboratório de Colisões Atómicas e Moleculares, CEFITEC, Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); García, G., E-mail: g.garcia@csic.es [Instituto de Física Fundamental, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Serrano 113-bis, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia)

    2015-06-07

    Water is often used as the medium for characterizing the effects of radiation on living tissue. However, in this study, charged-particle track simulations are employed to quantify the induced physicochemical and potential biological implications when a primary ionising particle with energy 10 keV strikes a medium made up entirely of water or pyrimidine. Note that pyrimidine was chosen as the DNA/RNA bases cytosine, thymine, and uracil can be considered pyrimidine derivatives. This study aims to assess the influence of the choice of medium on the charged-particle transport, and identify how appropriate it is to use water as the default medium to describe the effects of ionising radiation on living tissue. Based on the respective electron interaction cross sections, we provide a model, which allows the study of radiation effects not only in terms of energy deposition (absorbed dose and stopping power) but also in terms of the number of induced molecular processes. Results of these parameters for water and pyrimidine are presented and compared.

  18. Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Squid (Loligo Spp.) Tissues of Kedah-Perlis Waters, Malaysia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jamil, T.; Lias, K.; Norsila, D.; Syafinaz, N.S.

    2014-01-01

    This study was carried out to determine the concentration of selected heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in three different tissues collected from the ink-sac, head, and muscle of the squid. Squid samples were caught off the coastal waters of Kedah-Perlis, where only mature squids within the maturity size-range of 13 to 15 cm were used. From this study, the concentration of Zn (35.06 ± 4.06 mg/ kg in dry weight) was found significantly higher in all of the tissues, followed by Cu (15.10 ± 13.28 mg/ kg in dry weight), Cd (4.76 ± 3.77 mg/ kg in dry weight), and Pb with an average value of 4.01 ± 0.08 mg/ kg in dry weight. From this study, it was discovered that Zn and Cu concentrations in the tissues were lower than the maximum limit recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization, Malaysian Food Regulation (1985), as well as other countries. Meanwhile, both non-essential elements namely Cd and Pb recorded higher values than that of the recommended concentrations. According to the Metal Pollution Index (MPI), the ink-sac indicated medium-range contamination, while the head and muscle tissues showed low contamination levels. (author)

  19. Calculation of neutron kerma in tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vega C, H.R.; Manzanares A, E.

    2004-01-01

    Neutron kerma of normal and tumor tissues has been calculated using the tissues elemental concentration. A program developed in Math cad contains the kerma factors of C, H, O, N, Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, etc. that are in normal and tumor human tissues. Having the elemental composition of any human tissue the neutron kerma can be calculated. The program was tested using the elemental composition of tumor tissues such as sarcoma, melanoma, carcinoma and adenoid cystic, also neutron kerma for adipose and muscle tissue for normal adult was calculated. The results are in agreement with those published in literature. The neutron kerma for water was also calculated because in some dosimetric calculations water is used to describe normal and tumor tissues. From this comparison was found that at larger energies kerma factors are approximately the same, but energies less than 100 eV the differences are large. (Author)

  20. Validation of color Doppler sonography for evaluating relative displacement between the flexor tendon and subsynovial connective tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tat, Jimmy; Kociolek, Aaron M; Keir, Peter J

    2015-04-01

    A common pathologic finding in carpal tunnel syndrome is fibrosis and thickening of the subsynovial connective tissue. This finding suggests an etiology of excessive shear forces, with relative longitudinal displacement between the flexor tendon and adjacent subsynovial connective tissue. The purpose of this study was to validate color Doppler sonography for measurement of tendon displacement over time. Eight unmatched fresh frozen cadaver arms were used to evaluate color Doppler sonography for measurement of tendon displacement. The middle flexor digitorum superficialis tendon was moved through a physiologic excursion of 20 mm at 3 different tendon velocities (50, 100, and 150 mm/s). We found that color Doppler sonography provided accurate measurement of tendon displacement, with absolute errors of -0.05 mm (50 mm/s), -1.24 mm (100 mm/s), and -2.36 mm (150 mm/s) on average throughout the tendon excursion range. Evaluating relative displacement between the tendon and subsynovial connective tissue during finger flexion-extension movements also offered insight into the gliding mechanism of the subsynovial connective tissue. During flexion, we observed a curvilinear increase in relative displacement, with greater differential motion at the end range of displacement, likely due to the sequential stretch of the fibrils between successive layers of the subsynovial connective tissue. In extension, there was a linear return in relative displacement, suggesting a different unloading mechanism characterized by uniform relaxation of fibrils. We demonstrated the validity of color Doppler displacement for use in the evaluation of relative motion. Color Doppler sonography is useful in our understanding of the behavior of the subsynovial connective tissue during tendon excursion, which may elucidate the role of finger motion in the etiology of shear injury. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  1. THE RELATIONS OF MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS AND MOTOR ABILITIES OF JOUNG WATER POLO PLAYERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dragan Toskić

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of our research was to determine the connection between morphologic characteristics and motor abilities of young water polo players. The sample of participants for this research can be defined as the population of water polo swimmers (N=60 aged 16 to 18, who were only included in the study under the condition that they have taken part in the water polo training process for a period of at least four years. In order to evaluate morphological characteristics of the participants we used 20 anthro¬po¬me¬tric variables (IBP to evaluated longitudinal and transversal dimenions, mass and body voluminosity and subcutaneous fatty tissue. In this study, the measurings of the sig¬ni¬ficant motor dimensions were carried by means of the following measuring instruments which the authors (Gredelj, Hošek, Metikoš, Momirović, 1975 had previously evaluated with the help of physiological mechanisms: the integration factor, based on the me¬cha¬nism for movement structure (MSK, the synergistic automatism and tonus regulation factor (SRT; the factor for excitation intensity regulation (RIE; the excitation duration re¬gulation factor (RTE. The relations between morphological and motor dimensions we¬re determined using a canonical correlation analysis. A correlation analysis was carried out and it indicated a very high correlation between dimesions morphological cha¬ra¬cte¬ri¬stics and motor abilities of young water polo players.

  2. Existence of carcinine, a histamine-related compound, in mammalian tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flancbaum, L.; Brotman, D.N.; Fitzpatrick, J.C.; Van Es, Theodorus; Kasziba, E.; Fisher, H.

    1990-01-01

    Carcinine (β-alanylhistamine) was synthesized in vitro from histamine and β-alanine. It was detected quantitatively using an HPLC method previously described for the quantification of the related compounds histamine, histidine, carnosine and 3-methylhistamine. Carcinine was identified in several tissues of the rat, guinea pig, mouse and human, and was then shown to be metabolically related in vivo to histamine, histidine, carnosine and 3-methylhistamine through radioisotopic labeling. The results demonstrate that carcinine may be concurrently quantitated using the same HPLC method as that used to measure histamine, histidine, carnosine and 3-methylhistamine. These findings suggest a role for carcinine in the carnosine-histidine-histamine metabolic pathway and the mammalian physiologic response to stress

  3. Activities of asymmetric dimethylarginine-related enzymes in white adipose tissue are associated with circulating lipid biomarkers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iwasaki Hiroaki

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Asymmetric NG,NG-dimethylarginine (ADMA, an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, is regulated by the enzymatic participants of synthetic and metabolic processes, i.e., type I protein N-arginine methyltransferase (PRMT and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH. Previous reports have demonstrated that circulating ADMA levels can vary in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM. White adipose tissue expresses the full enzymatic machinery necessary for ADMA production and metabolism; however, modulation of the activities of adipose ADMA-related enzymes in T2DM remains to be determined. Methods A rodent model of T2DM using 11- and 20-week old Goto-Kakizaki (GK rats was used. The expression and catalytic activity of PRMT1 and DDAH1 and 2 in the white adipose tissues (periepididymal, visceral and subcutaneous fats and femur skeletal muscle tissue were determined by immunoblotting, in vitro methyltransferase and in vitro citrulline assays. Results Non-obese diabetic GK rats showed low expression and activity of adipose PRMT1 compared to age-matched Wistar controls. Adipose tissues from the periepididymal, visceral and subcutaneous fats of GK rats had high DDAH1 expression and total DDAH activity, whereas the DDAH2 expression was lowered below the control value. This dynamic of ADMA-related enzymes in white adipose tissues was distinct from that of skeletal muscle tissue. GK rats had lower levels of serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA and triglycerides (TG than the control rats. In all subjects the adipose PRMT1 and DDAH activities were statistically correlated with the levels of serum NEFA and TG. Conclusion Activities of PRMT1 and DDAH in white adipose tissues were altered in diabetic GK rats in an organ-specific manner, which was reflected in the serum levels of NEFA and TG. Changes in adipose ADMA-related enzymes might play a part in the function of white adipose tissue.

  4. Analysis of terahertz dielectric properties of pork tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yuqing; Xie, Qiaoling; Sun, Ping

    2017-10-01

    Seeing that about 70% component of fresh biological tissues is water, many scientists try to use water models to describe the dielectric properties of biological tissues. The classical water dielectric models are Debye model, Double Debye model and Cole-Cole model. This work aims to determine a suitable model by comparing three models above with experimental data. These models are applied to fresh pork tissue. By means of least square method, the parameters of different models are fitted with the experimental data. Comparing different models on both dielectric function, the Cole-Cole model is verified the best to describe the experiments of pork tissue. The correction factor α of the Cole-Cole model is an important modification for biological tissues. So Cole-Cole model is supposed to be a priority selection to describe the dielectric properties for biological tissues in the terahertz range.

  5. WWER water chemistry related to fuel cladding behaviour

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kysela, J; Zmitko, M [Nuclear Research Inst. plc., Rez (Czech Republic); Vrtilkova, V [Nuclear Fuel Inst., Prague (Czech Republic)

    1997-02-01

    Operational experience in WWER primary water chemistry and corrosion related to the fuel cladding is reviewed. Insignificant corrosion of fuel cladding was found which is caused by good corrosion resistance of Zr1Nb material and relatively low coolant temperature at WWER-440 reactor units. The differences in water chemistry control is outlined and an attention to the question of compatibility of Zircaloys with WWER water chemistry is given. Some results of research and development in field of zirconium alloy corrosion behaviour are discussed. Experimental facility for in-pile and out-of-pile cladding material corrosion testing is shown. (author). 14 refs, 5 figs, 3 tabs.

  6. Inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in daily life: relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage in palliative home care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cronfalk, Berit Seiger; Strang, Peter; Ternestedt, Britt-Marie

    2009-08-01

    This article explores relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a support supplement while caring for a dying family member at home. In palliative home care, relatives play an important role as carers to seriously ill and dying family members. To improve their quality of life, different support strategies are of importance. Complementary methods, such as soft tissue massage have become an appreciated supplement for these patients. However, only few studies focus on relatives experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a supplemental support. Qualitative design Nineteen relatives received soft tissue massage (hand or foot) nine times (25 minutes) in their homes. Open-ended semi-structured tape-recorded interviews were conducted once per relative after the nine times of massage, using qualitative content analysis. Soft tissue massage gave the relatives' feelings of 'being cared for', 'body vitality' and 'peace of mind'. For a while, they put worries of daily life aside as they just experienced 'being'. During massage, it became apparent that body and mind is constituted of an indestructible completeness. The overarching theme was 'inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in their daily lives'. All relatives experienced soft tissue massage positively, although they were under considerable stress. Soft tissue massage could be an option to comfort and support relatives in palliative home care. In palliative nursing care, soft tissue massage could present a worthy supplement in supporting caring relatives.

  7. A diffusion model-free framework with echo time dependence for free-water elimination and brain tissue microstructure characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-Romero, Miguel; Gómez, Pedro A; Sperl, Jonathan I; Czisch, Michael; Sämann, Philipp G; Jones, Derek K; Menzel, Marion I; Menze, Bjoern H

    2018-03-23

    The compartmental nature of brain tissue microstructure is typically studied by diffusion MRI, MR relaxometry or their correlation. Diffusion MRI relies on signal representations or biophysical models, while MR relaxometry and correlation studies are based on regularized inverse Laplace transforms (ILTs). Here we introduce a general framework for characterizing microstructure that does not depend on diffusion modeling and replaces ill-posed ILTs with blind source separation (BSS). This framework yields proton density, relaxation times, volume fractions, and signal disentanglement, allowing for separation of the free-water component. Diffusion experiments repeated for several different echo times, contain entangled diffusion and relaxation compartmental information. These can be disentangled by BSS using a physically constrained nonnegative matrix factorization. Computer simulations, phantom studies, together with repeatability and reproducibility experiments demonstrated that BSS is capable of estimating proton density, compartmental volume fractions and transversal relaxations. In vivo results proved its potential to correct for free-water contamination and to estimate tissue parameters. Formulation of the diffusion-relaxation dependence as a BSS problem introduces a new framework for studying microstructure compartmentalization, and a novel tool for free-water elimination. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

  8. Enhancing Resilience to Water-Related Impacts of Climate Change ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Enhancing Resilience to Water-Related Impacts of Climate Change in Uganda's ... technologies (ICTs) can be used to help communities address water stress. ... This work will support the Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment's efforts to ...

  9. Improvement in, or relating to, waste-waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crossley, T.J.

    1974-01-01

    The invention relates to a method for eliminating impurities consisting of fluorides, ammonia and uranium traces from waste waters. That method eliminates fluorides through precipitating alkaline earth fluoride, ammonia through evaporation and the excess alkaline earth metal through passing over an ion exchange resin. The water resulting from such a treatment contains but uranium traces and is suitable for re-cycling. The method can be applied to the treatment of waste waters resulting from the preparation of ammonium di-uranate from uranium hexafluoride [fr

  10. Raman molecular imaging of brain frozen tissue sections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Rachel E; Auner, Gregory W; Rosenblum, Mark L; Mikkelsen, Tom; Yurgelevic, Sally M; Raghunathan, Aditya; Poisson, Laila M; Kalkanis, Steven N

    2014-10-01

    Raman spectroscopy provides a molecular signature of the region being studied. It is ideal for neurosurgical applications because it is non-destructive, label-free, not impacted by water concentration, and can map an entire region of tissue. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the meaningful spatial molecular information provided by Raman spectroscopy for identification of regions of normal brain, necrosis, diffusely infiltrating glioma and solid glioblastoma (GBM). Five frozen section tissues (1 normal, 1 necrotic, 1 GBM, and 2 infiltrating glioma) were mapped in their entirety using a 300-µm-square step size. Smaller regions of interest were also mapped using a 25-µm step size. The relative concentrations of relevant biomolecules were mapped across all tissues and compared with adjacent hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections, allowing identification of normal, GBM, and necrotic regions. Raman peaks and peak ratios mapped included 1003, 1313, 1431, 1585, and 1659 cm(-1). Tissue maps identified boundaries of grey and white matter, necrosis, GBM, and infiltrating tumor. Complementary information, including relative concentration of lipids, protein, nucleic acid, and hemoglobin, was presented in a manner which can be easily adapted for in vivo tissue mapping. Raman spectroscopy can successfully provide label-free imaging of tissue characteristics with high accuracy. It can be translated to a surgical or laboratory tool for rapid, non-destructive imaging of tumor margins.

  11. Water Relations and Foliar Isotopic Composition of Prosopis tamarugo Phil., an Endemic Tree of the Atacama Desert Growing at Three Levels of Water Table Depth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrido, Marco; Silva, Paola; Acevedo, Edmundo

    2016-01-01

    Prosopis tamarugo Phil. is a strict phreatophyte tree species endemic to the "Pampa del Tamarugal", Atacama Desert. The extraction of water for various uses has increased the depth of the water table in the Pampa aquifers threatening its conservation. This study aimed to determine the effect of the groundwater table depth on the water relations of P. tamarugo and to present thresholds of groundwater depth (GWD) that can be used in the groundwater management of the P. tamarugo ecosystem. Three levels of GWD, 11.2 ± 0.3 m, 10.3 ± 0.3 m, and 7.1 ± 0.1 m, (the last GWD being our reference) were selected and groups of four individuals per GWD were studied in the months of January and July of the years 2011 through 2014. When the water table depth exceeded 10 m, P. tamarugo had lower pre-dawn and mid-day water potential but no differences were observed in minimum leaf stomatal resistance when compared to the condition of 7.1 m GWD; the leaf tissue increased its δ(13)C and δ(18)O composition. Furthermore, a smaller green canopy fraction of the trees and increased foliage loss in winter with increasing water table depth was observed. The differences observed in the physiological behavior of P. tamarugo trees, attributable to the ground water depth; show that increasing the depth of the water table from 7 to 11 m significantly affects the water status of P. tamarugo. The results indicate that P. tamarugo has an anisohydric stomatal behavior and that given a reduction in water supply it regulates the water demand via foliage loss. The growth and leaf physiological activities are highly sensitive to GWD. The foliage loss appears to prevent the trees from reaching water potentials leading to complete loss of hydraulic functionality by cavitation. The balance achieved between water supply and demand was reflected in the low variation of the water potential and of the variables related to gas exchange over time for a given GWD. This acclimation capacity of P. tamarugo after

  12. Water relations and foliar isotopic composition of Prosopis tamarugo Phil. an endemic tree of the Atacama Desert growing under three levels of water table depth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco eGarrido

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Prosopis tamarugo Phil. is a strict phreatophyte tree species endemic to the Pampa del Tamarugal, Atacama Desert. The extraction of water for various uses has increased the depth of the water table in the Pampa aquifers threatening its conservation. This study aimed to determine the effect of the groundwater table depth on the water relations of P. tamarugo and to present thresholds of groundwater depth (GWD that can be used in the groundwater management of the P. tamarugo ecosystem. Three levels of GWD, 11.2 ± 0.3 m, 10.3 ± 0.3 m and 7.1 ± 0.1 m, (the last GWD being our reference were selected and groups of 4 individuals per GWD were studied in the months of January and July of the years 2011 through 2014. When the water table depth exceeded 10 m, P. tamarugo had lower pre-dawn and midday water potential but no differences were observed in minimum leaf stomatal resistance when compared to the condition of 7.1 m GWD; the leaf tissue increased its δ13C and δ18O composition. Furthermore, a smaller green canopy fraction of the trees and increased foliage loss in winter with increasing water table depth was observed. The differences observed in the physiological behavior of P. tamarugo trees, attributable to the ground water depth; show that increasing the depth of the water table from 7 to 11 m significantly affects the water status of P. tamarugo. The results indicate that P. tamarugo has an anisohydric stomatal behaviour and that given a reduction in water supply it regulates the water demand via foliage loss. The growth and leaf physiological activities are highly sensitive to GWD. The foliage loss appears to prevent the trees from reaching water potentials leading to complete loss of hydraulic functionality by cavitation. The balance achieved between water supply and demand was reflected in the low variation of the water potential and of the variables related to gas exchange over time for a given GWD. This acclimation capacity of P

  13. Molecular theory for nuclear magnetic relaxation in protein solutions and tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimmich, R.; Nusser, W.; Gneiting, T.

    1990-01-01

    A model theory is presented explaining a series of striking phenomena observed with nuclear magnetic relaxation in protein systems such as solutions or tissue. The frequency, concentration and temperature dependences of proton or deuteron relaxation times of protein solutions and tissue are explained. It is concluded that the translational diffusion of water molecules along the rugged surfaces of proteins and, to a minor degree, protein backbone fluctuations are crucial processes. The rate limiting factor of macromolecular tumbling is assumed to be given by the free water content in a certain analogy to the free-volume model of Cohen ad Turnbull. There are two characteristic water mass fractions indicating the saturation of the hydration shells and the onset of protein tumbling. A closed and relatively simple set of relaxation formulas is presented. The potentially fractal nature of the diffusion of water molecules on the protein surface is discussed. (author). 43 refs.; 4 figs

  14. Age-related changes of dental pulp tissue after experimental tooth movement in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Von Böhl

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available It is generally accepted that the effect of orthodontic tooth movement on the dental pulp in adolescents is reversible and that it has no long-lasting effect on pulpal physiology. However, it is not clear yet if the same conclusion is also valid for adult subjects. Thus, in two groups of rats, aged 6 and 40 weeks respectively, 3 molars at one side of the maxilla were moved together in a mesial direction with a standardized orthodontic appliance delivering a force of 10 cN. The contralateral side served as a control. Parasagittal histological sections were prepared after tooth movement for 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The pulp tissue was characterized for the different groups, with special emphasis on cell density, inflammatory cells, vascularity, and odontoblasts. Dimensions of dentin and the pulpal horns was determined and related with the duration of orthodontic force application and age ware evaluated. We found that neither in young nor in adult rats, force application led to long-lasting or irreversible changes in pulpal tissues. Dimensional variables showed significant age-related changes. In conclusion, orthodontic tooth movement per se has no long-lasting or irreversible effect on pulpal tissues, neither in the young nor in the adult animals.

  15. Historical development of crop-related water footprints and inter-regional virtual water flows within China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuo, La; Mekonnen, Mesfin M.; Hoekstra, Arjen Y.

    2015-04-01

    China is facing water-related challenges, including an uneven distribution of water resources, both temporally and spatially, and an increasing competition over the limited water resources among different sectors. This issue has been widely researched and was finally included into the National Plan 2011 (the 2011 No. 1 Document by the State Council of China). However, there is still lack of information on how population growth and rapid urbanization have affected the water resources in China over the last decades. The current study aims at investigating (i) the intra-annual variation of green and blue water footprints (WFs) of crop production in China over the period 1978-2009 at a spatial resolution of 5 by 5 arc-minute; (ii) the yearly virtual water (VW) balances of 31 provinces within China, related water savings for the country, as well as the VW flows among eight economic regions resulting from inter-regional crop trade over the same period; and (iii) the development of the WF related to crop consumption by Chinese consumers. Results show that, over the period 1978-2009, the total WF related to crop production within China increased by only 4%), but regional changes were significant. From the 1980s to the 2000s, the shift of the cropping centre from the South to the North resulted in an increase of about 16% in the blue WF and 19% in the green WF in the North and a reduction of the blue and green WF in the South by 11% and 3%, respectively. China as a whole was a net virtual water importer related to crop trade, thus saving domestic water resources. China's inter-regional crop trade generated a blue water 'loss' annually by transferring crops from provinces with relatively low crop water productivity to provinces with relatively high productivity. Over the decades, the original VW flow from the South coastal region to the Northeast was reversed. Rice was the all-time dominant crop in the inter-regional VW flows (accounting for 34% in 2009), followed by wheat

  16. Organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and in biological tissue from streams and their relations to land use, central Arizona

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gebler, Joseph B.

    2000-01-01

    Streambed-sediment samples from 13 sites and biological-tissue samples from 11 sites in the Gila River Basin in central Arizona were analyzed for 32 organochlorine compounds in streambed sediment and 28 compounds in biological tissue during 1996 as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program. The objectives of the study were to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine compounds and their relation to land use. Sampling sites were categorized on the basis of major land uses in the basin or the source of water in the stream. Because land uses were mixed or had changed over time, some land-use categories were combined. Sites were categorized as forest/rangeland (6), forest/urban (1), urban (4), or agricultural/urban (2). Thirteen organochlorine compounds were detected in streambed-sediment samples, and 10 were detected in tissue samples. The number of compounds found in streambed-sediment samples from individual sites ranged from 0 to 10, and the range for individual tissue samples was 0 to 7. Comparison of the number of detections in streambed-sediment samples to the number of detections in tissue samples from particular sites where both were sampled yielded five instances where more compounds were detected in streambed sediment, six instances where more compounds were detected in tissue, and five instances where the number of detections in streambed sediment and tissue were equal. The frequency of detection of particular compounds for sites where both streambed sediment and tissue were sampled resulted in five compounds being detected more frequently in streambed sediment, five more frequently in tissue, and three compounds that were equally frequent in streambed sediment and in tissue. Few contaminants were detected in samples from the forest/rangeland sites; greater numbers of compounds were detected at the urban sites and at the forest/urban site. The greatest number of compounds and the highest concentrations

  17. Changes in intracranial morphology, regional cerebral water content and vital physiological variables during epidural bleeding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganz, J.C.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Thuomas, K.AA.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Vlajkovic, S.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Nilsson, P.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Bergstroem, K.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Ponten, U.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo; Zwetnow, N.N.; Inst. of Surgical Research, National Hospital, Oslo

    1993-01-01

    Epidural bleeding was produced in 8 anaesthetised and heparinised dogs by an artificial system. Changes in vital physiological variables were related to intracranial shifts and tissue water content assessed with MR imaging. Six animals survived while 2 succumbed. In the surviving animals intracranial shifts and compressions remained unchanged from an early stage. The cerebral perfusion pressure was reduced from between 80 and 110 mm Hg to between 40 and 60 mm Hg. Some increase in supratentorial white matter tissue water was observed. In the lethal experiments cerebral perfusion pressure fell to less than 40 mm Hg. Moreover, secondary delayed anatomical changes were seen including hydrocephalus. Increase in cerebral tissue water was more intense and widespread than in the survivors. These findings indicate that the outcome of epidural bleeding is related to cerebral perfusion pressure with secondary deterioration resulting from additional volume loading from increased tissue water and hydrocephalus. (orig.)

  18. Modeling Water Resource Systems Accounting for Water-Related Energy Use, GHG Emissions and Water-Dependent Energy Generation in California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escriva-Bou, A.; Lund, J. R.; Pulido-Velazquez, M.; Medellin-Azuara, J.

    2015-12-01

    Most individual processes relating water and energy interdependence have been assessed in many different ways over the last decade. It is time to step up and include the results of these studies in management by proportionating a tool for integrating these processes in decision-making to effectively understand the tradeoffs between water and energy from management options and scenarios. A simple but powerful decision support system (DSS) for water management is described that includes water-related energy use and GHG emissions not solely from the water operations, but also from final water end uses, including demands from cities, agriculture, environment and the energy sector. Because one of the main drivers of energy use and GHG emissions is water pumping from aquifers, the DSS combines a surface water management model with a simple groundwater model, accounting for their interrelationships. The model also explicitly includes economic data to optimize water use across sectors during shortages and calculate return flows from different uses. Capabilities of the DSS are demonstrated on a case study over California's intertied water system. Results show that urban end uses account for most GHG emissions of the entire water cycle, but large water conveyance produces significant peaks over the summer season. Also the development of more efficient water application on the agricultural sector has increased the total energy consumption and the net water use in the basins.

  19. EU-Russia Relations Regarding Water Resources in Central Asia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anastasia Likhacheva

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available In Central Asia, the water deficit and water-energy problem have been one of among the most acute and conflict-ridden challenges for the sustainable development of the region and for regional security. Key trade and investment partners, including Russia and the European Union, could play a considerable role in influencing this issue, due to the long-lasting status quo, the inability to find a solution through intra-regional dialogue and the region’s rising dependence on foreign trade. Indeed, water-related interactions between Russia and the EU have been developing in a complementary manner. The EU possesses new technologies and its members have access to long-term capital markets, while Russia carries influence through providing security, regulating migration and holding a favourable political position for offering mediation services to the republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This article examines EU-Russia relations regarding water issues in Central Asia over the medium term. By analyzing cooperative and non-cooperative strategies used by the major stakeholders in the water conflict (the five republics and the third parties of Russia and the EU, it confirms the continuous complementary character of EU and Russian activities in this context. Russia will take responsibility for moderating the principal questions (as with the construction of big dams such as Rogunor Kambarata, as they relate to the provision of security guarantees. The EU will act through providing support for water companies from small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting the European Water Initiative principles and by developing its investment policy. The intersection of interests is possible when if Russia will attracts an independent arbiter, such as an actor available to provide guarantees related to the values of professional objectivism, human rights support and environment protection. These issues inevitably arise with

  20. [Expression of saponin biosynthesis related genes in different tissues of Panax quinquefolius].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kang-Yu; Liu, Wei-Can; Zhang, Mei-Ping; Zhao, Ming-Zhu; Wang, Yan-Fang; Li, Li; Sun, Chun-Yu; Hu, Ke-Xin; Cong, Yue-Yi; Wang, Yi

    2018-01-01

    The relationship between saponin content of Panax quinquefolius in different parts of the organization and expression of ginsenoside biosynthesis related gene was obtained by the correlation analysis between saponin content and gene expression. The 14 tissue parts of P. quinquefolius were studied, six saponins in P. quinquefolius. Samples (ginsenoside Rg₁, Re, Rb₁, Rc, Rb₂ and Rd), group saponins and total saponins were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and vanillin-sulfuric acid colorimetric method. Simultaneously, the expression levels of 7 ginsenoside biosynthesis related genes ( SQS, OSC, DS, β-AS, SQE, P450 and FPS ) in different tissues of P. quinquefolius were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Although 7 kinds of ginsenoside biosynthesis related enzyme gene in the P. quinquefolius involved in ginsenoside synthesis, the expression of β-AS and P450 genes had no significant effect on the content of monosodium saponins, grouping saponins and total saponins, FPS, SQS, OSC, DS and SQE had significant or extremely significant on the contents of single saponins Re, Rg1, Rb1, Rd, group saponin PPD and PPT, total saponin TMS and total saponin TS ( P saponins, grouping saponins and total saponins in P. quinquefolius was affected by the interaction of multiple enzyme genes in the saponin synthesis pathway, the content of saponins in different tissues of P. quinquefolius was determined by the differences in the expression of key enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway. Therefore, this study further clarified that FPS, SQS, OSC, DS and SQE was the key enzyme to control the synthesis of saponins in P. quinquefolius by correlation analysis, the biosynthesis of ginsenosides in P. quinquefolius was regulated by these five kind of enzymes in cluster co-expression of interaction mode. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  1. Water tubing-related injuries treated in US emergency departments, 1991-2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinsimer, Kevin R; Nelson, Nicolas G; Roberts, Kristin J; McKenzie, Lara B

    2013-02-01

    The objective was to describe the patterns and mechanisms of water tubing-related injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was used to examine cases of water tubing-related injuries. Sample weights were used to calculate national estimates of water tubing-related injuries. Analyses were conducted in 2010. From 1991-2009 an estimated 69,471 injuries were treated in US emergency departments for water tubing-related injuries. The annual number of cases increased 250% over the 19-year study period (P tubing-related injuries differ for children and adults. Research is needed to determine how best to reduce these injuries.

  2. Water relations of cucumber, tomato, and sweet pepper

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Behboudian, M.H.

    1977-01-01

    The ever increasing importance of water as a critical resource for agricultural production has encouraged more research on water relations in recent years. Most attention has been paid to field crops and less information is available for horticultural crops, especially vegetables. The

  3. Large-scale Water-related Innovative Renewable Energy Projects and the Water Framework Directive : Legal Issues and Solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hees, S.R.W.

    2017-01-01

    This article discusses two legal issues that relate to the conflict between the interest of protecting water quality under the Water Framework Directive (WFD), versus the interest of promoting the use of innovative water-related renewable energy, with regard to the quota in the Renewable Energy

  4. 76 FR 44948 - Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-27

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water- Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Water and Environmental...

  5. Protein and Glycoprotein Patterns Related to Morphogenesis in Mammillaria gracillis Pfeiff. Tissue Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Biljana Balen

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available As plants with Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM, cacti are highly affected by artificial environmental conditions in tissue culture. Plants of Mammillaria gracillis Pfeiff. (Cactaceae propagated in vitro produced callus spontaneously. This habituated callus regenerated normal and hyperhydric shoots without the addition of growth regulators. In order to compare habituated callus with the tumorous one, cactus cells were transformed with two strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens: the wild strain B6S3 (tumour line TW and the rooty mutant GV3101 (tumour line TR. Gene expression in cactus plants, habituated callus, regenerated shoots and two tumour lines was analysed at the level of cellular and extracellular protein and glycoprotein profiles. Proteins were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 2-D PAGE electrophoresis and silver stained. Concavalin A-peroxidase staining detected glycoproteins with D-manose in their glycan component on protein blots. Developmentally specific protein patterns of Mammillaria gracillis tissue lines were detected. The 2-D PAGE electrophoresis revealed some tissue specific protein groups. The cellular glycoprotein of 42 kDa detected by ConA was highly expressed in undifferentiated tissues (habituated callus, TW and TR tumours and in hyperhydric regenerants. Tumours produced extracellular proteins of 33, 23 and 22 kDa. The N glycosylation of cellular and extracellular proteins was related to specific developmental stage of cactus tissue.

  6. 75 FR 42774 - Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water- Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... region in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Water...

  7. 76 FR 73674 - Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water- Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Water and Environmental Resources Division, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O...

  8. Future land-use related water demand in California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Tamara; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Cameron, D. Richard

    2016-01-01

    Water shortages in California are a growing concern amidst ongoing drought, earlier spring snowmelt, projected future climate warming, and currently mandated water use restrictions. Increases in population and land use in coming decades will place additional pressure on already limited available water supplies. We used a state-and-transition simulation model to project future changes in developed (municipal and industrial) and agricultural land use to estimate associated water use demand from 2012 to 2062. Under current efficiency rates, total water use was projected to increase 1.8 billion cubic meters(+4.1%) driven primarily by urbanization and shifts to more water intensive crops. Only if currently mandated 25% reductions in municipal water use are continuously implemented would water demand in 2062 balance to water use levels in 2012. This is the first modeling effort of its kind to examine regional land-use related water demand incorporating historical trends of both developed and agricultural land uses.

  9. Differential response to water deficit stress in alfalfa ( Medicago ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present study was fixed as objective to compare the response to water deficit (33% of field capacity, FC) stress of eight cultivars of Medicago sativa, originating from the Mediterranean basin. Comparison was performed on some key parameters such as growth, relative water content, leaf water potential, MDA tissue ...

  10. 75 FR 82066 - Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water- Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Water and Environmental Services Division, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007...

  11. 76 FR 60527 - Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water- Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... CONTACT: Michelle Kelly, Water and Environmental Resources Division, Bureau of Reclamation, P.O. Box 25007...

  12. Effect of metabolic gases and water vapor, perfluorocarbon emulsions, and nitric oxide on tissue bubbles during decompression sickness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randsøe, Thomas

    2016-05-01

    In aviation and diving, fast decrease in ambient pressure, such as during accidental loss of cabin pressure or when a diver decompresses too fast to sea level, may cause nitrogen (N2) bubble formation in blood and tissue resulting in decompression sickness (DCS). Conventional treatment of DCS is oxygen (O2) breathing combined with recompression.  However, bubble kinetic models suggest, that metabolic gases, i.e. O2 and carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor contribute significantly to DCS bubble volume and growth at hypobaric altitude exposures. Further, perfluorocarbon emulsions (PFC) and nitric oxide (NO) donors have, on an experimental basis, demonstrated therapeutic properties both as treatment and prophylactic intervention against DCS. The effect was ascribed to solubility of respiratory gases in PFC, plausible NO elicited nuclei demise and/or N2 washout through enhanced blood flow rate. Accordingly, by means of monitoring injected bubbles in exposed adipose tissue or measurements of spinal evoked potentials (SEPs) in anaesthetized rats, the aim of this study was to: 1) evaluate the contribution of metabolic gases and water vapor to bubble volume at different barometrical altitude exposures, 2) clarify the O2 contribution and N2 solubility from bubbles during administration of PFC at normo- and hypobaric conditions and, 3) test the effect of different NO donors on SEPs during DCS upon a hyperbaric air dive and, to study the influence of  NO on tissue bubbles at high altitude exposures. The results support the bubble kinetic models and indicate that metabolic gases and water vapor contribute significantly to bubble volume at 25 kPa (~10,376 m above sea level) and constitute a threshold for bubble stabilization or decay at the interval of 47-36 kPa (~6,036 and ~7,920 m above sea level). The effect of the metabolic gases and water vapor seemed to compromise the therapeutic properties of both PFC and NO at altitude, while PFC significantly increased bubble

  13. Evaporative water loss, relative water economy and evaporative partitioning of a heterothermic marsupial, the monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Withers, Philip C; Cooper, Christine E; Nespolo, Roberto F

    2012-08-15

    We examine here evaporative water loss, economy and partitioning at ambient temperatures from 14 to 33°C for the monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides), a microbiotheriid marsupial found only in temperate rainforests of Chile. The monito's standard evaporative water loss (2.58 mg g(-1) h(-1) at 30°C) was typical for a marsupial of its body mass and phylogenetic position. Evaporative water loss was independent of air temperature below thermoneutrality, but enhanced evaporative water loss and hyperthermia were the primary thermal responses above the thermoneutral zone. Non-invasive partitioning of total evaporative water loss indicated that respiratory loss accounted for 59-77% of the total, with no change in respiratory loss with ambient temperature, but a small change in cutaneous loss below thermoneutrality and an increase in cutaneous loss in and above thermoneutrality. Relative water economy (metabolic water production/evaporative water loss) increased at low ambient temperatures, with a point of relative water economy of 15.4°C. Thermolability had little effect on relative water economy, but conferred substantial energy savings at low ambient temperatures. Torpor reduced total evaporative water loss to as little as 21% of normothermic values, but relative water economy during torpor was poor even at low ambient temperatures because of the relatively greater reduction in metabolic water production than in evaporative water loss. The poor water economy of the monito during torpor suggests that negative water balance may explain why hibernators periodically arouse to normothermia, to obtain water by drinking or via an improved water economy.

  14. Accumulation of ethoxyquin in the tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, H.L.

    1991-01-01

    Ethoxyquin (EQ) residue levels in the mouse tissue were determined by the HPLC-fluorometric detection method. Mice were given powdered feed containing 0, 0.125, and 0.5% EQ HCl and the EQ residue levels in liver, kidney, lung, and brain tissues were determined after 2, 4, 6, 10, and 14 wk (4 mice/group). The tissue samples were homogenized in 10 volumes (w/v) of acetonitrile-water (7:3, v/v), centrifuged, and the supernatants were stored in a freezer for 2-3 h or until the two layers separated; then the clear upper layers were analyzed. The mean EQ residue levels in the tissue ranged 0.84-4.58 micrograms EQ/g liver and 0.11-0.92 micrograms EQ/g brain. The relative weight of the liver (5.21-7.07% body weight) and the hepatic glutathione level (5.99-7.83 microM GSH/g tissue) of mice that received EQ were significantly higher than those of the controls (4.67-5.05% body weight and 4.30-5.78 microM GSH/g tissue, respectively). The mean hepatic mitochondrial glutathione level of the higher EQ feeding group, following dietary administration of EQ for 14 wk, was approximately twofold (1.68 nM GSH/mg protein) of both the control and the lower EQ feeding groups (0.83 and 0.74 nM GSH/mg protein, respectively)

  15. A Reflectance Model for Relatively Clear and Turbid Waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. P. Tiwari

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Accurate modeling of spectral remote sensing reflectance (Rrs is of great interest for ocean colour studies in highly turbid and relatively clear waters. In this work a semianalytical model that simulates the spectral curves of remote sensing reflectance of these waters is developed based on the inherent optical properties (IOPs and f and Q factors. For accommodating differences in the optical properties of the water and accounting for their directional variations, IOPs and f and Q factors are derived as a function of phytoplankton pigments, suspended sediments and solar zenith angle. Results of this model are compared with in-situ bio-optical data collected at 83 stations encompassing highly turbid/relatively cleared waters of the South Sea of Korea. Measured and modeled remote sensing reflectances agree favorably in both magnitude and spectral shape, with considerably low errors (mean relative error MRE -0.0327; root mean square error RMSE 0.205, bias -0.0727 and slope 1.15 and correlation coefficient R2 0.74. These results suggest that the new model has the ability to reproduce measured reflectance values and has potentially profound implications for remote sensing of complex waters in this region.

  16. Concentration of mercury and selenium in tissues of five cetacean species from Croatian coastal waters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bilandžić Nina

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Mercury (Hg and selenium (Se concentrations were measured in muscle, liver, kidney, spleen and lung tissues of five cetacean species, three dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus and Grampus griseus and two whale species (Balaenoptera physalus and Ziphius cavirostris, stranded along the Croatian coast during the period 1999-2002. Statistically significant differences in Hg concentrations in muscle, spleen and lung, and Se in liver and lung of the different dolphin species were observed. Mercury levels in liver and spleen and Se levels in liver differed between young and adult T. truncatus species. A significant positive correlation between different tissue types for Hg and Se concentrations was observed. In all tissues tested, the lowest Hg and Se concentrations were found in B. physalus. Mercury concentrations were positively correlated with Se in all tissues. The results present one of few studies related to lung and spleen tissues in these mammals, particularly in the Adriatic Sea. Since very little data are available, this research provides new data on concentrations of Hg and Se in five cetacean species from the Adriatic Sea basin.

  17. Expression and Significance of gp96 and Immune-related Gene CTLA-4, CD8 in Lung Cancer Tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haiyan ZHENG

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Background and objective It has been proven that gp96 plays an important role in specific cytotoxic immune response which is involved in anti-tumor effect in the body. The aim of this study is to investigate the biological significance of heat shock protein gp96 and immune-related gene CTLA-4, CD8 expressions in lung cancer tissues of different progressive stages. Methods We used Envision immunohistochemistry method to detect the levels of expression of gp96, CTLA-4, CD8 in tissue microarray, which contained 89 primary lung cancer tissues, 12 lymph node metastasis lung cancer tissues, 12 precancerous lesions and 10 normal lung tissues, and analyzed the relationship between their expressions and clinicopathological parameters. Results (1 The positive rate of gp96 in primary lung cancer was remarkably higher than that in precancerous lesion and normal lung tissue (P < 0.05. The positive rate of CTLA-4 in primary lung cancer tissue and precancerous lesion was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissue (P < 0.05. The positive rate of CD8 in primary lung cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in normal lung tissue (P < 0.05. The positive rate of gp96 in CD8-positive lymphocytes in the high expression group was less than that in the low group (P < 0.05. (2 The positive rate of gp96 was closely related to sex, differentiation and clinical stage (P < 0.05, but not to age, gross type, histological type and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05. The positive rate of CTLA-4 was closely related to age and differentiation (P < 0.05, but not to sex, gross type, histological type, clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05. CD8 expression was related to clinical stage (P < 0.05, but not to sex, age, gross type, histological type, differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05. The positive rates of gp96, CTLA-4 were higher than that of CD8 in squamous cell carcinoma and SCLC, respectively. (3 There was positive correlation between gp

  18. Modeling residential water and related energy, carbon footprint and costs in California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Escriva-Bou, Alvar; Lund, Jay R.; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We model residential water use and related energy and GHG emissions in California. • Heterogeneity in use, spatial variability and water and energy rates are accounted. • Outdoor is more than 50% of water use but 80% of energy is used by faucet + shower. • Variability in water and energy prices affects willingness to adopt conservation. • Targeting high-use hoses and joint conservation policies are effective strategies. - Abstract: Starting from single-family household water end-use data, this study develops an end-use model for water-use and related energy and carbon footprint using probability distributions for parameters affecting water consumption in 10 local water utilities in California. Monte Carlo simulations are used to develop a large representative sample of households to describe variability in use, with water bills for each house for different utility rate structures. The water-related energy consumption for each household realization was obtained using an energy model based on the different water end-uses, assuming probability distributions for hot-water-use for each appliance and water heater characteristics. Spatial variability is incorporated to account for average air and household water inlet temperatures and price structures for each utility. Water-related energy costs are calculated using averaged energy price for each location. CO 2 emissions were derived from energy use using emission factors. Overall simulation runs assess the impact of several common conservation strategies on household water and energy use. Results show that single-family water-related CO 2 emissions are 2% of overall per capita emissions, and that managing water and energy jointly can significantly reduce state greenhouse gas emissions

  19. Terahertz pulse imaging in reflection geometry of human skin cancer and skin tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woodward, Ruth M; Cole, Bryan E; Wallace, Vincent P; Pye, Richard J; Arnone, Donald D; Linfield, Edmund H; Pepper, Michael

    2002-01-01

    We demonstrate the application of terahertz pulse imaging (TPI) in reflection geometry for the study of skin tissue and related cancers both in vitro and in vivo. The sensitivity of terahertz radiation to polar molecules, such as water, makes TPI suitable for studying the hydration levels in the skin and the determination of the lateral spread of skin cancer pre-operatively. By studying the terahertz pulse shape in the time domain we have been able to differentiate between diseased and normal tissue for the study of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Basal cell carcinoma has shown a positive terahertz contrast, and inflammation and scar tissue a negative terahertz contrast compared to normal tissue. In vivo measurements on the stratum corneum have enabled visualization of the stratum corneum-epidermis interface and the study of skin hydration levels. These results demonstrate the potential of terahertz pulse imaging for the study of skin tissue and its related disorders, both in vitro and in vivo

  20. Relative transport of water (H2O) and tritiated water (HTO) across cellulose acetate (CA) membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabhakar, S.; Misra, B.M.; Ramani, M.P.S.

    1986-01-01

    The relative transport characteristics of water (H 2 O) and tritiated water (HTO) were evaluated through cellulose acetate membranes under osmosis, reverse osmosis and pervaporation. The results indicate that the relative transport is independent of the process. The anamolous observations under osmotic conditions are explained. (orig.)

  1. Water relations, thallus structure and photosynthesis in Negev Desert lichens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, R. J. Jr; Friedmann, E. I.

    1990-01-01

    The role of lichen thallus structure in water relations and photosynthesis was studied in Ramalina maciformis (Del.) Bory and Teloschistes lacunosus (Rupr.) Sav. Water-vapour adsorption and photosynthesis are dependent upon thallus integrity and are significantly lower in crushed thalli. Cultured phycobiont (Trebouxia sp.) cells are capable of photosynthesis over the same relative humidity range (> 80% RH) as are intact lichens. Thus, water-vapour adsorption by the thallus and physiological adaptation of the phycobiont contribute to the ability of these lichens to photosynthesize in an arid environment. Despite differences in their anatomical structure and water-uptake characteristics, their CO2 incorporation is similar. The two lichens use liquid water differently and they occupy different niches.

  2. Impact of simulated herbivory on water relations of aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings: the role of new tissue in the hydraulic conductivity recovery cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    David A. Galvez; M.T. Tyree

    2009-01-01

    Physiological mechanisms behind plant-herbivore interactions are commonly approached as input-output systems where the role of plant physiology is viewed as a black box. Studies evaluating impacts of defoliation on plant physiology have mostly focused on changes in photosynthesis while the overall impact on plant water relations is largely unknown. Stem hydraulic...

  3. Growth, water relations and photosynthesis of seedlings and resprouts after fire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clemente, Adelaide S.; Rego, Francisco C.; Correia, Otília A.

    2005-05-01

    Seasonal patterns of growth, water relations, photosynthesis and leaf characteristics were compared between obligate seeders ( Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus ladanifer) and resprouters ( Arbutus unedo and Pistacia lentiscus) from the first to the second year after fire. We hypothesized that seedlings would be more water-limited than resprouts due to their shallower root systems. Regarding water use strategies, Cistus species are drought semi-deciduous and A. unedo and P. lentiscus are evergreen sclerophylls, therefore, comparisons were based on the relative deviation from mature conspecific plants. Seedlings and resprouts had higher shoot elongation and leaf production than mature plants, and over an extended period. Differences from mature plants were larger in resprouts, with two-fold transpiration, leaf conductance and photosynthesis in late spring/early summer. Seedlings of C. monspeliensis exhibited higher transpiration and leaf conductance than mature plants, while those of C. ladanifer only exhibited higher water potential. Growth increments and ameliorated water relations and photosynthesis after fire were attributed to an increase in water and nutrient availability. The small differences in water relations and photosynthesis between seedlings and mature conspecifics are in accordance with the prediction of seedlings experiencing higher water limitation than resprouts. We attribute these results to differences in root systems: resprouters benefited from an increase in root/shoot ratios and the presence of deep roots whereas Cistus seedlings relied on very shallow roots, which cannot provide assess to deep water during summer. Nevertheless, seedlings did not show evidence of experiencing a more severe water limitation than mature conspecifics, which we attributed to the presence of efficient mechanisms of avoiding and tolerating water stress. The results are discussed in relation to post-fire demography of seeders and resprouters in Mediterranean

  4. Effects of tissue mechanical properties on susceptibility to histotripsy-induced tissue damage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlaisavljevich, Eli; Kim, Yohan; Owens, Gabe; Roberts, William; Cain, Charles; Xu, Zhen

    2014-01-01

    Histotripsy is a non-invasive tissue ablation method capable of fractionating tissue by controlling acoustic cavitation. To determine the fractionation susceptibility of various tissues, we investigated histotripsy-induced damage on tissue phantoms and ex vivo tissues with different mechanical strengths. A histotripsy bubble cloud was formed at tissue phantom surfaces using 5-cycle long ultrasound pulses with peak negative pressure of 18 MPa and PRFs of 10, 100, and 1000 Hz. Results showed significantly smaller lesions were generated in tissue phantoms of higher mechanical strength. Histotripsy was also applied to 43 different ex vivo porcine tissues with a wide range of mechanical properties. Gross morphology demonstrated stronger tissues with higher ultimate stress, higher density, and lower water content were more resistant to histotripsy damage in comparison to weaker tissues. Based on these results, a self-limiting vessel-sparing treatment strategy was developed in an attempt to preserve major vessels while fractionating the surrounding target tissue. This strategy was tested in porcine liver in vivo. After treatment, major hepatic blood vessels and bile ducts remained intact within a completely fractionated liver volume. These results identify varying susceptibilities of tissues to histotripsy therapy and provide a rational basis to optimize histotripsy parameters for treatment of specific tissues.

  5. Moderate water stress affects tomato leaf water relations in dependence on the nitrogen supply

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Garcia, A.L.; Marcelis, L.F.M.; Garcia-Sanchez, F.; Nicolas, N.; Martinez, V.

    2007-01-01

    The responses of water relations, stomatal conductance (g(s)) and growth parameters of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Royesta) plants to nitrogen fertilisation and drought were studied. The plants were subjected to a long-term, moderate and progressive water stress by adding 80 % of the

  6. Conservation of Water and Related Land Resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caldwell, Lynton K.

    1984-04-01

    The author was quite clear about the purpose of this book and clearly achieved his intent. In his preface, the author states, “The purpose of this book is to acquaint the reader with a broad understanding of the topics relevant to the management of the nation's water and related land resources.” The book is a product of the author's 20 years of work as a teacher, consultant, researcher, and student of watershed management and hydrology and has served as a text for a course entitled Soil and Water Conservation, which the author has taught at the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse, New York. But it was also written with the intent to be of use “to informal students of water and land related resources on the national level as well.” The objectives of Black's course at Syracuse and its larger purpose define the scope of the book which, again in the author's words, have been “(1) to acquaint students with principles of soil and water conservation; (2) to stimulate an appreciation for an integrated, comprehensive approach to land management; (3) to illustrate the influence of institutional, economic, and cultural forces on the practice of soil and water conservation; and (4) to provide information, methods, and techniques by which soil and water conservation measures are applied to land, as well as the basis for predicting and evaluating results.” The book is written in straightforward nontechnical language and provides the reader with a set of references, a table of cases, a list of abbreviations, and an adequate index. It impresses this reviewer as a very well edited piece of work.

  7. DETERMINATION OF CADMIUM IN EDIBLE TISSUES OF CRABS CATCH IN ITALIAN TERITORIAL WATERS: MONITORING ON EMILIA ROMAGNA REGION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. D’Antonio

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available On 2008 there was a Community alert concerning the presence of Cadmium in crabs and on December 2009 there was a note from the Italian Ministry of Health concerning the control of cadmium in edible tissues of crabs caught in Italian territorial waters. This laboratory analyzed a total of 32 samples of crabs by atomic absorption spectroscopy graphite stove dividing the crustaceans in the following tissues: bright parts contained in claws, dark parts contained in the shell and red parts contained in the shell. The results showed that gastrointestinal shellfish tissues is at greatest risk, while the bright parts contained in claws are always below the limit set by European legislation (Reg. 1881/2006 and following. Furthermore it is clear that the crustaceans caught in the northern Adriatic present values of cadmium significantly lower compared to shellfish from France and UK.

  8. Long-term effects of discharges of produced water the marine environment from petroleum-related activities at Sonda de Campeche, Gulf of México.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schifter, I; González-Macías, C; Salazar-Coria, L; Sánchez-Reyna, G; González-Lozano, C

    2015-11-01

    Produced water from offshore oil platforms is a major source of oil and related chemicals into the sea. The large volume and high salinity of produced water could pose severe environmental impacts upon inadequate disposal. This study is based on direct field sampling of effluents released into the ocean in the years 2003 and 2013 at the Sonda de Campeche located in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico. Metals and hydrocarbons were characterized in water, sediments, and fish tissues at the discharge site and compared with those obtained at two reference sites. Chemicals that exceeded risk-based concentrations in the discharge included the metals As, Pb, Cd, and Cr, and a variety of compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), including naphthalene, fluorenes, and low molecular weight PAHs. The values of low to high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), and carbon preference index indicate that hydrocarbons in sediments of the discharge zone are originated from the produced water and combustion sources. Fish tissues at the discharge zone and reference site are contaminated with PAHs, dominated by 2- and 3-rings; 4-ring accounted for less than 1% of total PAHs (TPAHs) in 2003, but increased to 7% in 2013. Results suggest that, from 2003 to 2013, discharges of produced water have had a non-negligible impact on ecosystems at a regional level, so the possibility of subtle, cumulative effects from operational discharges should not be ignored.

  9. Distribution and accumulation of rotenone in tissues of warm water fishes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rach, J.J.; Gingerich, W.H.

    1986-01-01

    The tissue distribution of rotenoid residues was determined in tissues of common carp Cyprinus carpio (88.2 g), bluegills Lepomis macrochirus (47.9 g), and yellow perch Perca flavescens (67.7 g) after the fish were exposed to 50μg/L of rotenone-6a 14 C(15.9 x 10 4 Bq/μM). Exposures were terminated 1 h after the fish were moribund and failed to respond to gentle prodding. The fish were dissected, and various tissues were oxidized to determine 14 C-rotenone accumulation and distribution. Major rotenone metabolites were identified by gradient-elution high performance liquid chromatography. The exposure time required for fish to reach total incapacitation was 3 h for bluegills and yellow perch, and 11.25 h for common carp. The mean rotenoid concentrations (μg/100g fish) in the whole body were 22.4 in yellow perch, 39.7 in bluegills, and 107.8 in common carp. The percentage of rotenone-derived 14 C activity was higher in the carcass components than in the head or viscera; the skin and bone contained about 60% of the carcass activity. The highest relative rotenoid concentrations were found in the liver, bile, gills, brain, and heart. Percentages of total rotenoid material as parent rotenone were highest in yellow perch (70.0 in the viscera and 84.4 in the fillet), followed by those for bluegills (22.7 and 27.8) and common carp (9.7 and 48.5)

  10. Water relations of Eucalyptus nitens x Eucalyptus grandis : is there ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Water relations of Eucalyptus nitens x Eucalyptus grandis : is there interclonal variation in response to experimentally imposed water stress? ... Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science ... However, water stress reduced shoot hydraulic conductance and stem hydraulic conductivity with significant interclonal effects.

  11. Automatic segmentation of abdominal organs and adipose tissue compartments in water-fat MRI: Application to weight-loss in obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Jun; Baum, Thomas; Cordes, Christian; Ott, Beate; Skurk, Thomas; Kooijman, Hendrik; Rummeny, Ernst J; Hauner, Hans; Menze, Bjoern H; Karampinos, Dimitrios C

    2016-09-01

    To develop a fully automatic algorithm for abdominal organs and adipose tissue compartments segmentation and to assess organ and adipose tissue volume changes in longitudinal water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Axial two-point Dixon images were acquired in 20 obese women (age range 24-65, BMI 34.9±3.8kg/m(2)) before and after a four-week calorie restriction. Abdominal organs, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) compartments (abdominal, anterior, posterior), SAT regions along the feet-head direction and regional visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were assessed by a fully automatic algorithm using morphological operations and a multi-atlas-based segmentation method. The accuracy of organ segmentation represented by Dice coefficients ranged from 0.672±0.155 for the pancreas to 0.943±0.023 for the liver. Abdominal SAT changes were significantly greater in the posterior than the anterior SAT compartment (-11.4%±5.1% versus -9.5%±6.3%, pabdominal adipose tissue and organ segmentation, and allowed the detection of SAT and VAT subcompartments changes during weight loss. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Supplementation of glycerol or fructose via drinking water to grazing lambs on tissue glycogen level and lipogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volpi-Lagreca, G; Duckett, S K

    2017-06-01

    Lambs ( = 18; 40.1 ± 7.4 kg BW) were used to assess supplementation of glycerol or fructose via drinking water on growth, tissue glycogen levels, postmortem glycolysis, and lipogenesis. Lambs were blocked by BW and allocated to alfalfa paddocks (2 lambs/paddock and 3 paddocks/treatment). Each paddock within a block was assigned randomly to drinking water treatments for 30 d: 1) control (CON), 2) 120 g fructose/L of drinking water (FRU), or 3) 120 g glycerol/L of drinking water (GLY). Lambs grazed alfalfa with free access to water treatments for 28 d and then were fasted in indoor pens for a final 2 d with access to only water treatments. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with water treatment and time (when appropriate) in the model. During the 28-d grazing period, ADG was greater ( glycogen content × postmortem time was significant ( = 0.003) in LM and semitendinosus (ST) muscles. Glycogen content in the LM was greater ( Glycogen content in ST did not differ between treatments ( > 0.05). Liver glycogen content was over 14-fold greater ( glycogen branching enzyme in the liver. Overall, glycerol supplementation improved growth, reduced BW shrink during fasting, increased glycogen content in muscle and the liver, and stimulated de novo lipogenesis.

  13. Water Relations, Gas Exchange, and Nutrient Response to a Long Term Constant Water Deficit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Wade L.; Goldstein, Guillermo; Dreschel, Thomas W.; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Sager, John C.; Knott, William M.

    1992-01-01

    Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum) were grown for 43 days in a micro-porous tube nutrient delivery system. Roots were unable to penetrate the microporous tube, but grew on the surface and maintained capillary contact with the nutrient solution on the inside of the tube through the 5-micron pores of the porous tube. Water potential in the system was controlled at -0.4, -0.8, and -3.0 kPa by adjusting the applied pressure (hydrostatic head) to the nutrient solution flowing through the microporous tubes. A relatively small decrease in applied water potential from -0.4 to -3.0 kPa resulted in a 34% reduction of shoot growth but only a moderate reduction in the midday leaf water potential from -1.3 to -1.7 MPa. Carbon dioxide assimilation decreased and water use efficiency increased with the more negative applied water potentials, while intercellular CO2 concentration remained constant. This was associated with a decrease in stomatal conductance to water vapor from 1.90 to 0.98 mol/(sq m sec) and a decrease in total apparent hydraulic conductance from 47 to 12 (micro)mol/(sec MPa). Although the applied water potentials were in the -0.4 to -3.0 kPa range, the actual water potential perceived by the plant roots appeared to be in the range of -0.26 to -0.38 MPa as estimated by the leaf water potential of bagged plants. The amount of K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, and B accumulated with each unit of transpired water increased as the applied water potential became less negative. The increase in accumulation ranged from 1.4-fold for K to 2.2-fold for B. The physiological responses observed in this study in response to small constant differences in applied water potentials were much greater than expected from either the applied water potential or the observed plant water potential. Even though the micro-porous tube may not represent natural conditions and could possibly introduce morphological and physiological artifacts, it enables a high degree of control of water potential that

  14. Influence of water relations and growth rate on plant element uptake and distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greger, Maria

    2006-02-01

    Plant uptake of Ni, Sr, Mo, Cs, La, Th, Se, Cl and I was examined to determine how plant water relations and growth rate influence the uptake and distribution of these elements in the studied plants. The specific questions were how water uptake and growth rate influenced the uptake of various nuclides and how transpiration influenced translocation to the shoot. The knowledge gained will be used in future modelling of radionuclide leakage from nuclear waste deposits entering the ecosystem via plants. The plant studied was willow, Salix viminalis, a common plant in the areas suggested for waste disposal; since there can be clone variation, two different clones having different uptake properties for several other heavy metals were used. The plants were grown in nutrient solution and the experiments on 3-month-old plants were run for 3 days. Polyethylene glycol was added to the medium to decrease the water uptake rate, a fan was used to increase the transpiration rate, and different light intensities were used to produce different growth rates. Element concentration was analysed in roots and shoots. The results show that both the uptake and distribution of various elements are influenced in different ways and to various extents by water flow and plant growth rate, and that it is not possible from the chemical properties of these elements to know how they will react. However, in most cases increased growth rate diluted the concentration of the element in the tissue, reduced water uptake reduced the element uptake, while transpiration had no effect on the translocation of elements to the shoot. The clones did not differ in terms of either the uptake or translocation of the elements, except that I was not taken up and translocated to the shoot in one of the clones when the plant water flow or growth rate was too low. Not all of the elements were found in the plant in the same proportions as they had been added to the nutrient solution

  15. Influence of water relations and growth rate on plant element uptake and distribution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Greger, Maria [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Botany

    2006-02-15

    Plant uptake of Ni, Sr, Mo, Cs, La, Th, Se, Cl and I was examined to determine how plant water relations and growth rate influence the uptake and distribution of these elements in the studied plants. The specific questions were how water uptake and growth rate influenced the uptake of various nuclides and how transpiration influenced translocation to the shoot. The knowledge gained will be used in future modelling of radionuclide leakage from nuclear waste deposits entering the ecosystem via plants. The plant studied was willow, Salix viminalis, a common plant in the areas suggested for waste disposal; since there can be clone variation, two different clones having different uptake properties for several other heavy metals were used. The plants were grown in nutrient solution and the experiments on 3-month-old plants were run for 3 days. Polyethylene glycol was added to the medium to decrease the water uptake rate, a fan was used to increase the transpiration rate, and different light intensities were used to produce different growth rates. Element concentration was analysed in roots and shoots. The results show that both the uptake and distribution of various elements are influenced in different ways and to various extents by water flow and plant growth rate, and that it is not possible from the chemical properties of these elements to know how they will react. However, in most cases increased growth rate diluted the concentration of the element in the tissue, reduced water uptake reduced the element uptake, while transpiration had no effect on the translocation of elements to the shoot. The clones did not differ in terms of either the uptake or translocation of the elements, except that I was not taken up and translocated to the shoot in one of the clones when the plant water flow or growth rate was too low. Not all of the elements were found in the plant in the same proportions as they had been added to the nutrient solution.

  16. Water-Related Power Plant Curtailments: An Overview of Incidents and Contributing Factors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McCall, James [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Macknick, Jordan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Macknick, Jordan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2016-12-01

    Water temperatures and water availability can affect the reliable operations of power plants in the United States. Data on water-related impacts on the energy sector are not consolidated and are reported by multiple agencies. This study provides an overview of historical incidents where water resources have affected power plant operations, discusses the various data sources providing information, and creates a publicly available and open access database that contains consolidated information about water-related power plant curtailment and shut-down incidents. Power plants can be affected by water resources if incoming water temperatures are too high, water discharge temperatures are too high, or if there is not enough water available to operate. Changes in climate have the potential to exacerbate uncertainty over water resource availability and temperature. Power plant impacts from water resources include curtailment of generation, plant shut-downs, and requests for regulatory variances. In addition, many power plants have developed adaptation approaches to reducing the potential risks of water-related issues by investing in new technologies or developing and implementing plans to undertake during droughts or heatwaves. This study identifies 42 incidents of water-related power plant issues from 2000-2015, drawing from a variety of different datasets. These incidents occur throughout the U.S., and affect coal and nuclear plants that use once-through, recirculating, and pond cooling systems. In addition, water temperature violations reported to the Environmental Protection Agency are also considered, with 35 temperature violations noted from 2012-2015. In addition to providing some background information on incidents, this effort has also created an open access database on the Open Energy Information platform that contains information about water-related power plant issues that can be updated by users.

  17. Heavy Metal Content in Chilean Fish Related to Habitat Use, Tissue Type and River of Origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copaja, S V; Pérez, C A; Vega-Retter, C; Véliz, D

    2017-12-01

    In this study, we analyze the concentration of ten metals in two freshwater fish-the benthic catfish Trichomycterus areolatus and the limnetic silverside Basilichthys microlepidotus-in order to detect possible accumulation differences related to fish habitat (benthic or pelagic), tissue type (gill, liver and muscle), and the river of origin (four different rivers) in central Chile. The MANOVA performed with all variables and metals, revealed independent effects of fish, tissue and river. In the case of the fish factor, Cu, Cr, Mo and Zn showed statistically higher concentrations in catfish compared with silverside for all tissues and in all rivers (p food sources and respiration.

  18. Relative frequencies and significance of faecal coliforms as indicators related to water temperature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auban, E G; Ripolles, A A; Domarco, M J

    1983-01-01

    The faecal coliforms at different sites of a hypereutrophic lake near Valencia (Albufera) were identified and their relative amounts established along an annual cycle. Using lauryl tryptose broth at 35 degrees C, followed by incubation at 44.4 degrees C in 2% brilliant green bile, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are practically the only coliforms present. A positive correlation was found between the water temperature and the relative amount of these two coliforms: K. pneumoniae predominates at high water temperatures, whereas E. coli shows preponderance during the cold period. The role of K. pneumoniae as the only faecal indicator under the circumstances described in the work is emphasized and discussed.

  19. Heavy metals in tissues of water fowl from the Chesapeake Bay, USA. [Clangula hyemalis; Melanitta deglandi; Anas platyrhynchos; Anas rubripes; Anas strepera

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Di Giulio, R; Scanlon, P F

    1984-01-01

    Concentrations of cadmium, lead, copper and zinc were measured in 774 livers, 266 kidneys and 271 ulnar bones from 15 species of ducks obtained from the Chesapeake Bay region. A major purpose of this study was to elucidate relationships between food habits and tissue accumulations of heavy metals in Chesapeake Bay water fowl. Liver and kidney concentrations of cadmium were highest among two carnivorous seaduck species, Clangula hyemalis and Melanitta deglandi. In contrast, lead concentrations in tissues were generally highest in largely herbivorous species, such as Anas platyrhynchos, Anas rubripes and Anas strepera. Spent shot may be an important source for tissue burdens of lead in these ducks. No marked trends were observed between food habits and tissue concentrations of the nutrient elements, copper and zinc.

  20. Effects of soil water depletion on the water relations in tropical kudzu

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adaucto Bellarmino de Pereira-Netto

    1999-07-01

    Full Text Available Tropical kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb. Benth., Leguminosae: Faboideae is native to the humid Southeastern Asia. Tropical kudzu has potential as a cover crop in regions subjected to dryness. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effect of soil water depletion on leaflet relative water content (RWC, stomatal conductance (g and temperature (T L in tropical kudzu. RWC of waterstressed plants dropped from 96 to 78%, following a reduction in SWC from 0.25 to 0.17 g (H2O.g (dry soil-1.Stomatal conductance of stressed plants decreased from 221 to 98 mmol.m-2.s-1, following the reduction in soil water content (SWC. The day after re-irrigation, g of water stressed plants was 15% lower than g of unstressed plants. Differences in T L between waterstressed and unstressed plants (deltaT L rose linearly from 0.1 to 2.2ºC following progressive water deficit. RWC and T L of waterstressed plants paralled RWC and T L of unstressed plants the day after reirrigation. The strong decrease in SWC found in this study only induced moderate water stress in tropical kudzu. In addition, tropical kudzu recover rapidly from the induced water stress after the re-irrigation.

  1. Effects of pulsed mid-IR lasers on bovine knee joint tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vari, Sandor G.; Shi, Wei-Qiang; Pergadia, Vani R.; Duffy, J. T.; Miller, J. M.; van der Veen, Maurits J.; Weiss, Andrew B.; Fishbein, Michael C.; Grundfest, Warren S.

    1993-07-01

    We investigated the effect of varying Tm:YAG (2.014 micrometers ) and Ho:YAG (2.130 micrometers ) laser parameters on ablation rate and consequent thermal damage. Mid-infrared wavelengths are strongly absorbed by most biological tissues due to the tissue's high water content. The ablation rate of fresh bovine knee joint tissues (fibrous cartilage, hyaline cartilage, and bone) in saline was assessed as a function of radiant exposure (160 - 950 J/cm2), at pulse widths of 200 microsecond(s) ec for Tm:YAG and 250 microsecond(s) ec for Ho:YAG and a repetition rate of 2 Hz. All tissues used in this study could be efficiently ablated using two micron lasers. The mechanism of action is likely related to the formation and collapse of cavitation bubbles, associated with mid-infrared lasers. We concluded that the Tm:YAG and Ho:YAG lasers are capable of effective knee joint tissue ablation.

  2. Identification of technical guidance related to ground water monitoring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vogelsberger, R.R.; Smith, E.D.; Broz, M.; Wright, J.C. Jr.

    1987-05-01

    Monitoring of ground water quality is a key element of ground water protection and is mandated by several federal and state laws concerned with water quality or waste management. Numerous regulatory guidance documents and technical reports discuss various aspects of ground water monitoring, but at present there is no single source of guidance on procedures and practices for ground water monitoring. This report is intended to assist US Department of Energy (DOE) officials and facility operating personnel in identifying sources of guidance for developing and implementing ground water monitoring programs that are technically sound and that comply with applicable regulations. Federal statutes and associated regulations were reviewed to identify requirements related to ground water monitoring, and over 160 documents on topics related to ground water monitoring were evaluated for their technical merit, their utility as guidance for regulatory compliance, and their relevance to DOE's needs. For each of 15 technical topics involved in ground water monitoring, the report presents (1) a review of federal regulatory requirements and representative state requirements, (2) brief descriptions of the contents and merits of available guidance documents and technical references, and (3) recommendations of the guidance documents or other technical resources that appear to be most appropriate for use in DOE's monitoring activities. The contents of the report are applicable to monitoring activities involving both radioactive and nonradioactive substances. The main sources of regulatory requirements considered in the report are the Atomic Energy Act (including the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, and Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

  3. Identification of technical guidance related to ground water monitoring

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vogelsberger, R.R.; Smith, E.D.; Broz, M.; Wright, J.C. Jr.

    1987-05-01

    Monitoring of ground water quality is a key element of ground water protection and is mandated by several federal and state laws concerned with water quality or waste management. Numerous regulatory guidance documents and technical reports discuss various aspects of ground water monitoring, but at present there is no single source of guidance on procedures and practices for ground water monitoring. This report is intended to assist US Department of Energy (DOE) officials and facility operating personnel in identifying sources of guidance for developing and implementing ground water monitoring programs that are technically sound and that comply with applicable regulations. Federal statutes and associated regulations were reviewed to identify requirements related to ground water monitoring, and over 160 documents on topics related to ground water monitoring were evaluated for their technical merit, their utility as guidance for regulatory compliance, and their relevance to DOE's needs. For each of 15 technical topics involved in ground water monitoring, the report presents (1) a review of federal regulatory requirements and representative state requirements, (2) brief descriptions of the contents and merits of available guidance documents and technical references, and (3) recommendations of the guidance documents or other technical resources that appear to be most appropriate for use in DOE's monitoring activities. The contents of the report are applicable to monitoring activities involving both radioactive and nonradioactive substances. The main sources of regulatory requirements considered in the report are the Atomic Energy Act (including the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, and Federal Water Pollution Control Act

  4. Farmer Perceptions of Conflict Related to Water in Zambia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard A. Marcantonio

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between climate change, water scarcity, and conflict is still debated. Much of the existing work relating resource scarcity to conflict has involved regional-scale analysis linking instances of violent outbreaks to environmental conditions. But how do individual farmers in Africa define conflict? Do they perceive that conflict will change as a function of water scarcity, and, if so, how? Here, we address these questions by surveying farmers in southern Zambia in 2015, where we asked respondents to define conflict, assessed their perceptions of past and future conflict, as well as perceptions of rainfall and water availability. We find that the majority of our respondents (75% think of conflict as misunderstandings or disagreements between people and that 91% of our sample has experienced past conflict, 70% expect to experience future conflict, and 58% expect to experience future physical violent conflict. When asked about the sources of conflict, respondents mainly mention land grabbing, crop damage by animals, and politics rather than water related issues. However, we find a significant relationship between perceptions of future rainfall decreasing and future physical violent conflict. These results imply that even though respondents do not think water scarcity is a direct source of conflict, the perception of decreased rain in the future is significantly related to the perception that future conflict and future physical violent conflict will occur.

  5. Epigenetics-related genes in prostate cancer: expression profile in prostate cancer tissues, androgen-sensitive and -insensitive cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikhibrahim, Zaki; Lindstrot, Andreas; Ochsenfahrt, Jacqueline; Fuchs, Kerstin; Wernert, Nicolas

    2013-01-01

    Epigenetic changes have been suggested to drive prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify novel epigenetics-related genes in PCa tissues, and to examine their expression in metastatic PCa cell lines. We analyzed the expression of epigenetics-related genes via a clustering analysis based on gene function in moderately and poorly differentiated PCa glands compared to normal glands of the peripheral zone (prostate proper) from PCa patients using Whole Human Genome Oligo Microarrays. Our analysis identified 12 epigenetics-related genes with a more than 2-fold increase or decrease in expression and a p-value epigenetics-related genes that we identified in primary PCa tissues may provide further insight into the role that epigenetic changes play in PCa. Moreover, some of the genes that we identified may play important roles in primary PCa and metastasis, in primary PCa only, or in metastasis only. Follow-up studies are required to investigate the functional role and the role that the expression of these genes play in the outcome and progression of PCa using tissue microarrays.

  6. Comparison of brown and white adipose tissues in infants and children with chemical-shift-encoded water-fat MRI.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Houchun H; Yin, Larry; Aggabao, Patricia C; Perkins, Thomas G; Chia, Jonathan M; Gilsanz, Vicente

    2013-10-01

    To compare fat-signal fractions (FFs) and T2* values between brown (BAT) and white (WAT) adipose tissue located within the supraclavicular fossa and subcutaneous depots, respectively. Twelve infants and 39 children were studied. Children were divided into lean and overweight/obese subgroups. Chemical-shift-encoded water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to quantify FFs and T2* metrics in the supraclavicular and adjacent subcutaneous adipose tissue depots. Linear regression and t-tests were performed. Infants had lower supraclavicular FFs than children (P children exhibited lower supraclavicular FFs and T2* values than overweight children (P children, but not in infants. FFs in both depots were positively correlated with age and weight in infants (P children, they were correlated with weight and body mass index (BMI) (P children (P children, which are potentially indicative of physiological differences in adipose tissue fat content, amount, and metabolic activity. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Availability and quality of water related to western energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hudson, H.H.

    1981-01-01

    Much of the nation's energy resources is contained in seven states of the western United States. Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota contain 40% of the nation's coal and 90% of its uranium and shale oil. Although rich in energy resources, these states are chronically deficient in water. Coal mining and subsequent land reclamation require relatively small amounts of water. Plans that require large quantities of water to transport and convert the coal to energy include the operation of coal-slurry pipelines, thermal-electric power generation, and coal gasification. Production of oil from shale by conventional mining techniques may require about three or four unit volumes of water for each unit volume of shale oil produced. Nearly half of this water would be needed to reestablish vegetation on waste material. In-situ extraction of oil would require substantially less water. Extracting and processing uranium require relatively small amounts of water. There may be problems of the quality of local groundwater where solution mining is practiced and where uranium ore is removed from water-saturated rocks that are then exposed to oxidation. Estimates of amounts of water required to support the development of western energy resources are highly variable and depend on the conversion technology, the level of anticipated development, and the quality of the water required by any given use or process. Conservative estimates exceed 2000 cu hm/year by the year 2000. Although water supplies in the amounts anticipated as being needed for energy development are available within the seven states, their availability locally may depend on satisfying environmental objections, modifying legal and institutional arrangements that presently control water distribution and use, and constructing additional reservoirs and distribution systems

  8. Water-energy nexus for urban water systems: A comparative review on energy intensity and environmental impacts in relation to global water risks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Mengshan; Keller, Arturo A.; Chiang, Pen-Chi; Den, Walter; Wang, Hongtao; Hou, Chia-Hung; Wu, Jiang; Wang, Xin; Yan, Jinyue

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •This study quantifies the nexus as energy intensity and greenhouse gas potential. •Baseline water stress and return flow ratio are identified as water risks. •Source water accessibility significantly contributes to variations in the nexus. •Water risks have little impact on the nexus of wastewater systems. •Study on the nexus is suggested to be conducted at regional levels. -- Abstract: The importance of the interdependence between water and energy, also known as the water-energy nexus, is well recognized. The water-energy nexus is typically characterized in resource use efficiency terms such as energy intensity. This study aims to explore the quantitative results of the nexus in terms of energy intensity and environmental impacts (mainly greenhouse gas emissions) on existing water systems within urban water cycles. We also characterized the influence of water risks on the water-energy nexus, including baseline water stress (a water quantity indicator) and return flow ratio (a water quality indicator). For the 20 regions and 4 countries surveyed (including regions with low to extremely high water risks that are geographically located in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, and North America), their energy intensities were positively related to the water risks. Regions with higher water risks were observed to have relatively higher energy and GHG intensities associated with their water supply systems. This mainly reflected the major influence of source water accessibility on the nexus, particularly for regions requiring energy-intensive imported or groundwater supplies, or desalination. Regions that use tertiary treatment (for water reclamation or environmental protection) for their wastewater treatment systems also had relatively higher energy and GHG emission intensities, but the intensities seemed to be independent from the water risks. On-site energy recovery (e.g., biogas or waste heat) in the wastewater treatment systems offered a great

  9. Estimating relations between temperature, relative humidity as independed variables and selected water quality parameters in Lake Manzala, Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gehan A.H. Sallam

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In Egypt, Lake Manzala is the largest and the most productive lake of northern coastal lakes. In this study, the continuous measurements data of the Real Time Water Quality Monitoring stations in Lake Manzala were statistically analyzed to measure the regional and seasonal variations of the selected water quality parameters in relation to the change of air temperature and relative humidity. Simple formulas are elaborated using the DataFit software to predict the selected water quality parameters of the Lake including pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO, Electrical Conductivity (EC, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS, Turbidity, and Chlorophyll as a function of air temperature, relative humidity and quantities and qualities of the drainage water that discharge into the lake. An empirical positive relation was found between air temperature and the relative humidity and pH, EC and TDS and negative relation with DO. There is no significant effect on the other two parameters of turbidity and chlorophyll.

  10. [Lasers in dentistry. Part B--Interaction with biological tissues and the effect on the soft tissues of the oral cavity, the hard tissues of the tooth and the dental pulp].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moshonov, J; Stabholz, A; Leopold, Y; Rosenberg, I; Stabholz, A

    2001-10-01

    The interaction of laser energy with target tissue is mainly determined by two non operator-dependent factors: the specific wavelength of the laser and the optical properties of the target tissues. Power density, energy density, pulse repetition rate, pulse duration and the mode of energy transferring to the tissue are dictated by the clinician. Combination of these factors enables to control optimal response for the clinical application. Four responses are described when the laser beam hits the target tissue: reflection, absorption, transmission and scattering. Three main mechanisms of interaction between the laser and the biological tissues exist: photothermic, photoacoustic and photochemical. The effect of lasers on the soft tissues of the oral cavity is based on transformation of light energy into thermal energy which, in turn heats the target tissue to produce the desirable effect. In comparison to the scalpel used in surgical procedures, the laser beam is characterized by tissue natural sterility and by minimum bleeding during the surgical procedures due to blood vessels welding. The various effects achieved by the temperature elevation during the laser application on the soft tissue are: I. coagulation and hemostasis II. tissue sterilization III. tissue welding IV. incision and excision V. ablation and vaporization Ablation and melting are the two basic modalities by which the effect of lasers on the hard tissues of the tooth is produced. When discussing the effect of laser on dental hard tissues, the energy absorption in the hydroxyapatite plays a major role in addition to its absorption in water. When laser energy is absorbed in the water of the hard tissues, a rapid volume expansion of the evaporating water occurs as a result of a substantial temperature elevation in the interaction site. Microexplosions are produced causing hard tissue disintegration. If pulp temperatures are raised beyond 5 degrees C level, damage to the dental pulp is irreversible

  11. The difference of scoring dose to water or tissues in Monte Carlo dose calculations for low energy brachytherapy photon sources.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landry, Guillaume; Reniers, Brigitte; Pignol, Jean-Philippe; Beaulieu, Luc; Verhaegen, Frank

    2011-03-01

    The goal of this work is to compare D(m,m) (radiation transported in medium; dose scored in medium) and D(w,m) (radiation transported in medium; dose scored in water) obtained from Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for a subset of human tissues of interest in low energy photon brachytherapy. Using low dose rate seeds and an electronic brachytherapy source (EBS), the authors quantify the large cavity theory conversion factors required. The authors also assess whether ap plying large cavity theory utilizing the sources' initial photon spectra and average photon energy induces errors related to spatial spectral variations. First, ideal spherical geometries were investigated, followed by clinical brachytherapy LDR seed implants for breast and prostate cancer patients. Two types of dose calculations are performed with the GEANT4 MC code. (1) For several human tissues, dose profiles are obtained in spherical geometries centered on four types of low energy brachytherapy sources: 125I, 103Pd, and 131Cs seeds, as well as an EBS operating at 50 kV. Ratios of D(w,m) over D(m,m) are evaluated in the 0-6 cm range. In addition to mean tissue composition, compositions corresponding to one standard deviation from the mean are also studied. (2) Four clinical breast (using 103Pd) and prostate (using 125I) brachytherapy seed implants are considered. MC dose calculations are performed based on postimplant CT scans using prostate and breast tissue compositions. PTV D90 values are compared for D(w,m) and D(m,m). (1) Differences (D(w,m)/D(m,m)-1) of -3% to 70% are observed for the investigated tissues. For a given tissue, D(w,m)/D(m,m) is similar for all sources within 4% and does not vary more than 2% with distance due to very moderate spectral shifts. Variations of tissue composition about the assumed mean composition influence the conversion factors up to 38%. (2) The ratio of D90(w,m) over D90(m,m) for clinical implants matches D(w,m)/D(m,m) at 1 cm from the single point sources, Given

  12. Routes of plutonium uptake and their relation to biomagnification in starfish

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guary, J.-C.; Fowler, S.W.; Beasley, T.M.

    1982-01-01

    The distribution of 239+240 Pu and 238 Pu in environmental samples of starfish tissues is identical to the tissue distribution observed in experimental animals following uptake of plutonium directly from water. Plutonium in sea water has a strong affinity for the mucus-rich epidermal layer of starfish which contributes substantially to the relatively high levels of this transuranium nuclide measured in these invertebrates. Transfer of plutonium to starfish via food also occurs; however, the resultant tissue distribution is not consistent with that found in the natural environment where plutonium is available from both contaminated food and water. These data suggest that food chain biomagnification of plutonium by starfish does not occur in nature as has been previously hypothesized. (author)

  13. The Effect of Water Contaminated with Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) on the Rat's Weight and Tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Backer, Wadiah Saleh; AboKhatwa, Ahmed Nabil; Katouah, Hanadi Ahmed

    2008-01-01

    Lead is known to cause deleterious effects on health and environment. Therefore, it was removed from car-fuel, in the United States since 1979. In January 2001, Saudi Arabia and other Arabian Gulf States, replaced lead with a synthetic organic substance called methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE is added to gasoline at 12-15%. It dissolves readily in water and evaporates quickly. This study was focused on the possible health hazards of MTBE in drinking water as manifested by changes in weight and vital tissues (heart, liver, kidney, lung, and testis) of rat. This study also aimed to establish a quantitative relationship between MTBE concentration and changes that occur to these tissues. One hundred and twenty male Wistar rats were exposed to five different MTBE concentrations (0.0, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500 ppm) for 60 days. The results showed that most of MTBE-treated animals have revealed significant weight loss and the maximum weight loss (nearly 10 %) was achieved at the highest concentration (2,500 ppm) after 60 days of treatment. Also, both liver and heart weights were significantly reduced by almost 9%, and kidneys by 8% of MTBE concentration of 2,000 ppm. At a higher concentration (2,500 ppm), liver weight was reduced by 12%. The weight of other tissues (lungs and testes) remained unchanged. The outcome of the results may lead to hepatic disorder. This disorder could reduce plasma glucose, or increase some hepatic markers like ALT, AST, and GGT activity, or elevate the levels of sodium and chloride in plasma and may have other side effects. (author)

  14. Assessment of the water quality parameters in relation to fish ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Physicochemical indices of water body changed seasonally and this necessitated an investigation to assess the water quality parameters of Osinmo reservoir in relation to its fish species. The water quality parameters were measured using standard methods. Results obtained show that the reservoir is alkaline in nature with ...

  15. Peach Water Relations, Gas Exchange, Growth and Shoot Mortality under Water Deficit in Semi-Arid Weather Conditions

    OpenAIRE

    Rahmati, Mitra; Davarynejad, Gholam Hossein; G?nard, Michel; Bannayan, Mohammad; Azizi, Majid; Vercambre, Gilles

    2015-01-01

    In this study the sensitivity of peach tree (Prunus persica L.) to three water stress levels from mid-pit hardening until harvest was assessed. Seasonal patterns of shoot and fruit growth, gas exchange (leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration) as well as carbon (C) storage/mobilization were evaluated in relation to plant water status. A simple C balance model was also developed to investigate sink-source relationship in relation to plant water status at the tree level. The...

  16. Relative binding affinity of carboxylate-, phosphonate-, and bisphosphonate-functionalized gold nanoparticles targeted to damaged bone tissue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ross, Ryan D. [Rush University Medical Center, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology (United States); Cole, Lisa E.; Roeder, Ryan K., E-mail: rroeder@nd.edu [University of Notre Dame, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Bioengineering Graduate Program (United States)

    2012-10-15

    Functionalized Au NPs have received considerable recent interest for targeting and labeling cells and tissues. Damaged bone tissue can be targeted by functionalizing Au NPs with molecules exhibiting affinity for calcium. Therefore, the relative binding affinity of Au NPs surface functionalized with either carboxylate (l-glutamic acid), phosphonate (2-aminoethylphosphonic acid), or bisphosphonate (alendronate) was investigated for targeted labeling of damaged bone tissue in vitro. Targeted labeling of damaged bone tissue was qualitatively verified by visual observation and backscattered electron microscopy, and quantitatively measured by the surface density of Au NPs using field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The surface density of functionalized Au NPs was significantly greater within damaged tissue compared to undamaged tissue for each functional group. Bisphosphonate-functionalized Au NPs exhibited a greater surface density labeling damaged tissue compared to glutamic acid- and phosphonic acid-functionalized Au NPs, which was consistent with the results of previous work comparing the binding affinity of the same functionalized Au NPs to synthetic hydroxyapatite crystals. Targeted labeling was enabled not only by the functional groups but also by the colloidal stability in solution. Functionalized Au NPs were stabilized by the presence of the functional groups, and were shown to remain well dispersed in ionic (phosphate buffered saline) and serum (fetal bovine serum) solutions for up to 1 week. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that bisphosphonate-functionalized Au NPs have potential for targeted delivery to damaged bone tissue in vitro and provide motivation for in vivo investigation.

  17. Transfusion medicine in the Formosa Fun Coast water park explosion: The role of combined tissue and blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Chih-Chun; Yeh, Chin-Chuan; Chu, Fang-Yeh

    2016-10-01

    The Formosa Fun Coast explosion, occurring in a recreational water park located in the Northern Taiwan on 27 June 2015, made 499 people burn-injured. For those who had severe burn trauma, surgical intervention and fluid resuscitation were necessary, and potential blood transfusion therapy could be initiated, especially during and after broad escharotomy. Here, we reviewed the literature regarding transfusion medicine and skin grafting as well as described the practicing experience of combined tissue and blood bank in the burn disaster in Taiwan. It was reported that patients who were severely burn-injured could receive multiple blood transfusions during hospitalization. Since the use of skin graft became a mainstay alternative for wound coverage after the early debridement of burn wounds at the beginning of the 20th century, the development of tissue banking program was initiated. In Taiwan, the tissue banking program was started in 2006. And the first combined tissue and blood bank was established in Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in 2010, equipped with the non-sterile, clean and sterile zones distinctly segregated with a unidirectional movement in the sterile area. The sterile zone was a class 10000 clean room equipped with high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPAF) and positive air pressure ventilation. The combined tissue and blood bank has been able to provide the assigned blood products and tissue graft timely and accurately, with the concepts of centralized management. In the future, the training of tissue and blood bank technicians would be continued and fortified, particularly on the regulation and quality control for further bio- and hemovigilance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Tissue distribution of the dystrophin-related gene product and expression in the mdx and dy mouse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Love, D.R.; Marsden, R.F.; Bloomfield, J.F.; Davies, K.E. (John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford (England)); Morris, G.E.; Ellis, J.M. (North East Wales Inst., Deeside, Wales (England)); Fairbrother, U.; Edwards, Y.H. (Univ. College London (England)); Slater, C.P. (Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (England)); Parry, D.J. (Univ. of Ottawa, Ontario (Canada))

    1991-04-15

    The authors have previously reported a dystrophin-related locus (DMDL for Duchenne muscular dystrophy-like) on human chromosome 6 that maps close to the dy mutation on mouse chromosome 10. Here they show that this gene is expressed in a wide range of tissues at varying levels. The transcript is particularly abundant in several human fetal tissues, including heart, placenta, and intestine. Studies with antisera raised against a DMDL fusion protein identify a 400,000 M{sub r} protein in all mouse tissues tested, including those of mdx and dy mice. Unlike the dystrophin gene, the DMDL gene transcript is not differentially spliced at the 3{prime} end in either fetal muscle or brain.

  19. Aerodynamic and related hydrodynamic studies using water facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1987-06-01

    Related problems, experiences and advancements in aeronautical and maritime fluid dynamics through the use of water facilities are reviewed. In recent years there has been an increasing use of water facilities for aerodynamic investigations. These include water tunnels, towing channels, and stationary tanks. Examples include basic research problems as well as flow fields around fighter aircraft, inlet flows, recirculation flow patterns associated with VTOL, ramjet simulation, etc., and, in general, 3-D flows with vortices or separated regimes as prominent features. The Symposium was organized to provide an appropriate forum for the exchange of information within the aeronautical and maritime fluid dynamics community.

  20. Assessment of metal contamination in water, sediment, and tissues of Arius thalassinus fish from the Red Sea coast of Yemen and the potential human risk assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saleh, Yousef S; Marie, Mohamed-Assem S

    2015-04-01

    Heavy metal pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues globally. To evaluate the metal pollution in the Red Sea coast of Hodeida, Yemen Republic, the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cd in water, sediment, and some vital organs of sea catfish, Arius thalassinus collected from polluted and unpolluted sites, were determined. The risk of these metals to humans through fish consumption was then assessed. The results showed that the concentration order of metals in water, sediment, and fish tissues were Fe > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd. The levels of studied metals in water, sediment, and fish tissues were significantly higher in the polluted site than those of the unpolluted site, with few exceptions. Linear correlation incorporating paired variables (water-sediment, water-fish, and fish-fish) exhibited several significant correlations indicating a common metal pollution. The risk assessment performed revealed that fish consumption was safe for consumers. This field investigation provides a baseline data on metal pollution in this region.

  1. Tritium in water and plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koenig, L.A.; Winter, M.

    1977-10-01

    A summary is presented of the results obtained in programs on the measurement of the T concentration in the immediate and more distant environment of the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Center (KFK). The amount of T released with the waste water and the exhaust air from the KFK in the years 1969 until 1976 is indicated. The total releases ranged from 2000 Ci/a to 5200 Ci/a in the period of reporting. The fractions contained in the exhaust air and in the waste water were subjected to considerable variations over the years. The results of measurements for water samples are presented as annual mean values. The annual values of measured results obtained for precipitations on the site clearly exceed the values measured at sampling stations outside the KFK. Of the surface waters monitored the rivers Rhine and Neckar showed the highest T values. In smaller flowing waters the T concentration is also influenced by the percentage of waste water from communities. Obviously the tritium content of the ground and drinking water depends on the depth of sampling. Drinking water raised from a small depth in the vicinity of the Rhine is subjected to the same variations as the water from the river Rhine. To find out relations to the T offer of the relevant media close to the plants, the T concentrations in tissue water of plants and in air humidity, ground water and precipitations were investigated. Variations of the T concentration in air humidity correlate with the variations of the T concentration in the tissue water of plants. The T concentration level in the tissue water of plants is close to the T concentration in air humidity. The following time constants and half-lives, respectively, are found: for oak and hornbeam leaves 2+-1 days, for spruce needles 3+-1.5 days, for pine needles 6+-3 days. The dispersion of T released into the air and into the water is dealt with briefly. (orig.) [de

  2. City-scale analysis of water-related energy identifies more cost-effective solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Ka Leung; Kenway, Steven J; Lant, Paul A

    2017-02-01

    Energy and greenhouse gas management in urban water systems typically focus on optimising within the direct system boundary of water utilities that covers the centralised water supply and wastewater treatment systems, despite a greater energy influence by the water end use. This work develops a cost curve of water-related energy management options from a city perspective for a hypothetical Australian city. It is compared with that from the water utility perspective. The curves are based on 18 water-related energy management options that have been implemented or evaluated in Australia. In the studied scenario, the cost-effective energy saving potential from a city perspective (292 GWh/year) is far more significant than that from a utility perspective (65 GWh/year). In some cases, for similar capital cost, if regional water planners invested in end use options instead of utility options, a greater energy saving potential at a greater cost-effectiveness could be achieved in urban water systems. For example, upgrading a wastewater treatment plant for biogas recovery at a capital cost of $27.2 million would save 31 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $63/MWh, while solar hot water system rebates at a cost of $28.6 million would save 67 GWh/year with a marginal cost saving of $111/MWh. Options related to hot water use such as water-efficient shower heads, water-efficient clothes washers and solar hot water system rebates are among the most cost-effective city-scale opportunities. This study demonstrates the use of cost curves to compare both utility and end use options in a consistent framework. It also illustrates that focusing solely on managing the energy use within the utility would miss substantial non-utility water-related energy saving opportunities. There is a need to broaden the conventional scope of cost curve analysis to include water-related energy and greenhouse gas at the water end use, and to value their management from a city perspective. This

  3. Nanoreinforced Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering: Biomaterials that are Compatible with Load-Bearing and Electroactive Tissues

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mehrali, Mehdi; Thakur, Ashish; Pennisi, Christian Pablo

    2017-01-01

    , mechanical, and electrical properties. Here, recent advances in the fabrication and application of nanocomposite hydrogels in tissue engineering applications are described, with specific attention toward skeletal and electroactive tissues, such as cardiac, nerve, bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle......Given their highly porous nature and excellent water retention, hydrogel-based biomaterials can mimic critical properties of the native cellular environment. However, their potential to emulate the electromechanical milieu of native tissues or conform well with the curved topology of human organs...

  4. Studies of nontarget-mediated distribution of human full-length IgG1 antibody and its FAb fragment in cardiovascular and metabolic-related tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidsson, Pia; Söderling, Ann-Sofi; Svensson, Lena; Ahnmark, Andrea; Flodin, Christine; Wanag, Ewa; Screpanti-Sundqvist, Valentina; Gennemark, Peter

    2015-05-01

    Tissue distribution and pharmacokinetics (PK) of full-length nontargeted antibody and its antigen-binding fragment (FAb) were evaluated for a range of tissues primarily of interest for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Mice were intravenously injected with a dose of 10 mg/kg of either human IgG1or its FAb fragment; perfused tissues were collected at a range of time points over 3 weeks for the human IgG1 antibody and 1 week for the human FAb antibody. Tissues were homogenized and antibody concentrations were measured by specific immunoassays on the Gyros system. Exposure in terms of maximum concentration (Cmax ) and area under the curve was assessed for all nine tissues. Tissue exposure of full-length antibody relative to plasma exposure was found to be between 1% and 10%, except for brain (0.2%). Relative concentrations of FAb antibody were the same, except for kidney tissue, where the antibody concentration was found to be ten times higher than in plasma. However, the absolute tissue uptake of full-length IgG was significantly higher than the absolute tissue uptake of the FAb antibody. This study provides a reference PK state for full-length whole and FAb antibodies in tissues related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases that do not include antigen or antibody binding. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  5. Electrical conductivity and ion diffusion in porcine meniscus: effects of strain, anisotropy, and tissue region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kleinhans, Kelsey L; McMahan, Jeffrey B; Jackson, Alicia R

    2016-09-06

    The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of mechanical strain, anisotropy, and tissue region on electrical conductivity and ion diffusivity in meniscus fibrocartilage. A one-dimensional, 4-wire conductivity experiment was employed to measure the electrical conductivity in porcine meniscus tissues from two tissue regions (horn and central), for two tissue orientations (axial and circumferential), and for three levels of compressive strain (0%, 10%, and 20%). Conductivity values were then used to estimate the relative ion diffusivity in meniscus. The water volume fraction of tissue specimens was determined using a buoyancy method. A total of 135 meniscus samples were measured; electrical conductivity values ranged from 2.47mS/cm to 4.84mS/cm, while relative ion diffusivity was in the range of 0.235 to 0.409. Results show that electrical conductivity and ion diffusion are significantly anisotropic (pmeniscus fibrocartilage, which is essential in developing new strategies to treat and/or prevent tissue degeneration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Virtual water trade of agri-food products: Evidence from italian-chinese relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamastra, Lucrezia; Miglietta, Pier Paolo; Toma, Pierluigi; De Leo, Federica; Massari, Stefania

    2017-12-01

    At global scale, the majority of world water withdrawal is for the agricultural sector, with differences among countries depending on the relevance of agri-food sector in the economy. Virtual water and water footprint could be useful to express the impact on the water resources of each production process and good with the objective to lead to a sustainable use of water at a global level. International trade could be connected to the virtual water flows, in fact through commodities importation, water poor countries can save their own water resources. The present paper focuses on the bilateral virtual water flows connected to the top ten agri-food products traded between Italy and China. Comparing the virtual water flow related to the top 10 agri-food products, the virtual water flow from Italy to China is bigger than the water flow in the opposite direction. Moreover, the composition of virtual water flows is different; Italy imports significant amounts of grey water from China, depending on the different environmental strategies adopted by the two selected countries. This difference could be also related to the fact that traded commodities are very different; the 91% of virtual water imported by Italy is connected to crops products, while the 95% of virtual water imported by China is related to the animal products. Considering national water saving and global water saving, appears that Italy imports virtual water from China while China exerts pressure on its water resources to supply the exports to Italy. This result at global scale implies a global water loss of 129.29millionm3 because, in general, the agri-food products are traded from the area with lower water productivity to the area with the higher water productivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Tissue culture of ornamental cacti

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugenio Pérez-Molphe-Balch

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Cacti species are plants that are well adapted to growing in arid and semiarid regions where the main problem is water availability. Cacti have developed a series of adaptations to cope with water scarcity, such as reduced leaf surface via morphological modifications including spines, cereous cuticles, extended root systems and stem tissue modifications to increase water storage, and crassulacean acid metabolism to reduce transpiration and water loss. Furthermore, seeds of these plants very often exhibit dormancy, a phenomenon that helps to prevent germination when the availability of water is reduced. In general, cactus species exhibit a low growth rate that makes their rapid propagation difficult. Cacti are much appreciated as ornamental plants due to their great variety and diversity of forms and their beautiful short-life flowers; however, due to difficulties in propagating them rapidly to meet market demand, they are very often over-collected in their natural habitats, which leads to numerous species being threatened, endangered or becoming extinct. Therefore, plant tissue culture techniques may facilitate their propagation over a shorter time period than conventional techniques used for commercial purposes; or may help to recover populations of endangered or threatened species for their re-introduction in the wild; or may also be of value to the preservation and conservation of the genetic resources of this important family. Herein we present the state-of-the-art of tissue culture techniques used for ornamental cacti and selected suggestions for solving a number of the problems faced by members of the Cactaceae family.

  8. Status of water pollution in relation to industrialization in Rajasthan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajput, Ritu Singh; Pandey, Sonali; Bhadauria, Seema

    2017-09-26

    India is a large and densely populated country; its economy is largely agricultural. Making the best use of the country's manpower has always posed a challenge. Industrialization could become a dominant component of the economy and displace agriculture. Traditional livelihoods of occupational groups are threatened by the practice of disposing untreated industrial waste into rivers and bodies of water. These uncontrolled disposals impact local natural resources with negative long-term effects. Industrialization is the development of intellectual and financial trade that changes a predominantly rustic culture into a modern one. Many industrial units discharge wastewater locally without treatment. Many industries directly discharged their waste into lakes, rivers and ocean. Water contamination impacts the environment. Pesticides, chemical, waste oil and heavy metals are regularly transported into their waters. Humans and other living organisms can accumulate heavy metals from industrial discharges in their tissues. Industrial waste may be reactive, corrosive, flammable, or toxic. When untreated sewage is emptied into rivers, it causes diseases like typhoid, dysentery and cholera. Natural elements and plant supplements like nitrate and phosphates stimulate growth of algae on the water surface. The algae reduce the oxygen in the water and cause eutrophication. It is harmful to the water ecosystem. In Rajasthan proper, there are a number of sites bordering rivers and lakes where the pace of industrialization has proceeded far beyond the ability of regulators to establish and enforce meaningful limits on the amount of point source pollution permitted to the various industrial complexes, which include cement, chemical, fertilizer, textile, mining, quarrying, dyeing and printing facilities. The scale of the problem is obvious to the casual observer, but actual documentation of the total impact remains to be done.

  9. Whole-field macro- and micro-deformation characteristic of unbound water-loss in dentin hard tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhenning; Nadeau, Bobby; Yu, Kevin; Shao, Xinxing; He, Xiaoyuan; Goh, M Cynthia; Kishen, Anil

    2018-04-06

    High-resolution deformation measurements in a functionally graded hard tissue such as human dentin are essential to understand the unbound water-loss mediated changes and their role in its mechanical integrity. Yet a whole-field, 3-dimensional (3D) measurement and characterization of fully hydrated dentin in both macro- and micro-scales remain to be a challenge. This study was conducted in 2 stages. In stage-1, a stereo-digital image correlation approach was utilized to determine the water-loss and load-induced 3D deformations of teeth in a sagittal section over consecutively acquired frames, from a fully hydrated state to nonhydrated conditions for a period up to 2 hours. The macroscale analysis revealed concentrated residual deformations at the dentin-enamel-junction and the apical regions of root in the direction perpendicular to the dentinal tubules. Significant difference in the localized deformation characteristics was observed between the inner and outer aspects of the root dentin. During quasi-static loadings, further increase in the residual deformation was observed in the dentin. In stage-2, dentin microstructural variations induced by dynamic water-loss were assessed with environmental scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing that the dynamic water-loss induced distention of dentinal tubules with concave tubular edges, and concurrent contraction of intertubular dentin with convex profile. The findings from the current macro- and micro-scale analysis provided insight on the free-water-loss induced regional deformations and ultrastructural changes in human dentin. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Current status of regulatory aspects relating to water chemistry in Japanese NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Masatoshi

    2014-01-01

    In nuclear power plants, water chemistry of cooling water is carefully monitored and controlled to keep integrity of structures, systems and components, and to reduce occupational radiation exposures. As increasing demand for advanced application of light water cooled reactors, water chemistry control plays more important roles on plant reliability. The road maps on R and D for water chemistry of nuclear power systems have been proposed along with promotion of R and D related water chemistry in Japan. In academic and engineering societies, non-governmental standards for water chemistry are going to be established. In the present paper, recent trends of water chemistry in Japan have been surveyed. The effects of water chemistry on plant safety and radiation exposures have been discussed. In addition, possible contributions of regulation regarding water chemistry control have been confirmed. Major water chemistry regulatory aspects relating to reactor safety and radiation safety are also outlined in this paper. (author)

  11. Coastal circulation off Bombay in relation to waste water disposal

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Josanto, V.; Sarma, R.V.

    Flow patterns in the coastal waters of Bombay were studied using recording current meters, direct reading current meters, floats and dye in relation to the proposed waste water disposal project of the Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay from...

  12. Evaluation of tissue-equivalent materials to be used as human brain tissue substitute in dosimetry for diagnostic radiology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ferreira, C.C., E-mail: cassio.c.ferreira@gmail.co [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Postal Code 353, Sergipe-SE 49100-000 (Brazil); Ximenes Filho, R.E.M., E-mail: raimundoximenes@hotmail.co [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Postal Code 353, Sergipe-SE 49100-000 (Brazil); Vieira, J.W., E-mail: jwvieira@br.inter.ne [Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica de Pernambuco (CEFET-PE), Av. Professor Luiz Freire, 500 Curado, CEP 50740-540, Recife (Brazil); Escola Politecnica de Pernambuco, Universidade de Pernambuco (EPP/UPE), Rua Benfica, 455, Madalena, CEP 50720-001, Recife (Brazil); Tomal, A., E-mail: alessandratomal@pg.ffclrp.usp.b [Departamento de Fisica e Matematica, FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto-SP 14040-90 (Brazil); Poletti, M.E., E-mail: poletti@ffclrp.usp.b [Departamento de Fisica e Matematica, FFCLRP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto-SP 14040-90 (Brazil); Garcia, C.A.B., E-mail: cgarcia@ufs.b [Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Postal Code 353, Sergipe-SE 49100-000 (Brazil); Maia, A.F., E-mail: afmaia@ufs.b [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Postal Code 353, Sergipe-SE 49100-000 (Brazil)

    2010-08-15

    Tissue-equivalent materials to be used as substitutes for human brain tissue in dosimetry for diagnostic radiology have been investigated in terms of calculated total mass attenuation coefficient ({mu}/{rho}), calculated mass energy-absorption coefficient ({mu}{sub en}/{rho}) and absorbed dose. Measured linear attenuation coefficients ({mu}) have been used for benchmarking the calculated total mass attenuation coefficient ({mu}/{rho}). The materials examined were bolus, nylon (registered) , orange articulation wax, red articulation wax, PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), bees wax, paraffin I, paraffin II, pitch and water. The results show that water is the best substitute for brain among the materials investigated. The average percentage differences between the calculated {mu}/{rho} and {mu}{sub en}/{rho} coefficients for water and those for brain were 1.0% and 2.5%, respectively. Absorbed doses determined by Monte Carlo methods confirm water as being the best brain substitute to be used in dosimetry for diagnostic radiology, showing maximum difference of 0.01%. Additionally this study showed that PMMA, a material often used for the manufacturing of head phantoms for computed tomography, cannot be considered to be a suitable substitute for human brain tissue in dosimetry.

  13. Relative Composition of Fibrous Connective and Fatty/Glandular Tissue in Connective Tissue Grafts Depends on the Harvesting Technique but not the Donor Site of the Hard Palate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertl, Kristina; Pifl, Markus; Hirtler, Lena; Rendl, Barbara; Nürnberger, Sylvia; Stavropoulos, Andreas; Ulm, Christian

    2015-12-01

    Whether the composition of palatal connective tissue grafts (CTGs) varies depending on donor site or harvesting technique in terms of relative amounts of fibrous connective tissue (CT) and fatty/glandular tissue (FGT) is currently unknown and is histologically assessed in the present study. In 10 fresh human cadavers, tissue samples were harvested in the anterior and posterior palate and in areas close to (marginal) and distant from (apical) the mucosal margin. Mucosal thickness, lamina propria thickness (defined as the extent of subepithelial portion of the biopsy containing ≤25% or ≤50% FGT), and proportions of CT and FGT were semi-automatically estimated for the entire mucosa and for CTGs virtually harvested by split-flap (SF) preparation minimum 1 mm deep or after deepithelialization (DE). Palatal mucosal thickness, ranging from 2.35 to 6.89 mm, and histologic composition showed high interindividual variability. Lamina propria thickness (P >0.21) and proportions of CT (P = 0.48) and FGT (P = 0.15) did not differ significantly among the donor sites (anterior, posterior, marginal, apical). However, thicker palatal tissue was associated with higher FGT content (P tissue composition in the hard palate, DE-harvested CTG contains much larger amounts of CT and much lower amounts of FGT than SF-harvested CTG, irrespective of the harvesting site.

  14. Water relations and keeping-quality of cut Gerbera flowers

    OpenAIRE

    Meeteren, van, U.

    1980-01-01

    The aim of the present investigation is to study the internal water relations,of ageing Gerbera inflorescences and their consequence on keepingquality of cut inflorescences. As in all parts of this paper, the term "flower" will be used to describe an inflorescence with its supporting stem.A great problem during vase-life of cut Gerbera flowers is ',stem break", a sudden bending of the stem. As described in part 1, this phenomenon was caused by a water shortage in the flower. The water-stress ...

  15. Association between local inflammation and breast tissue age-related lobular involution among premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirette Hanna

    Full Text Available Increased levels of pro-inflammatory markers and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory markers in the breast tissue can result in local inflammation. We aimed to investigate whether local inflammation in the breast tissue is associated with age-related lobular involution, a process inversely related to breast cancer risk. Levels of eleven pro- and anti-inflammatory markers were assessed by immunohistochemistry in normal breast tissue obtained from 164 pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Involution status of the breast (degree of lobular involution and the predominant lobule type was microscopically assessed in normal breast tissue on hematoxylin-eosin stained mastectomy slides. Multivariate generalized linear models were used to assess the associations. In age-adjusted analyses, higher levels of pro-inflammatory markers IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, COX-2, leptin, SAA1 and IL-8; and anti-inflammatory marker IL-10, were inversely associated with the prevalence of complete lobular involution (all P≤0.04. Higher levels of the pro-inflammatory marker COX-2 were also associated with lower prevalence of predominant type 1/no type 3 lobules in the breast, an indicator of complete involution, in age-adjusted analysis (P = 0.017. Higher tissue levels of inflammatory markers, mainly the pro-inflammatory ones, are associated with less involuted breasts and may consequently be associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

  16. Legal Issues Related to Donation of Organs, Tissues and Cells of Human Origin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Mironov

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Scientific developments, positive changes in attitude of the man and the new legal framework allow the donation of organs, tissues and cells of human origin. In this context it is necessary to clarifywhether the donation covered by the special law is, legally, one and the same as that covered by the Romanian Civil Code in force and qualified the successor’s right to accept or reject late withdrawals for transplantation. The right to life and physical integrity is personal patrimony; it is a subjective civil right that has no economic content and it cannot be measured in money. Consequently, the content of these rights can not be expressed in money, the property does not belong to their owner. Given the above view, "the right of disposal" to donation of organs, tissues and cells of human origin is an attribute of ownership, right to life and physical integrity, as a personal right that is an intimate attribute patrimonial related to the person’s right to dispose of his body as it wishes, within the law. Addressing these issues it is necessary to clarify the legal consequences of donating organs, tissues and cells of human origin, considering that medical activities are becoming more numerous.

  17. Evaluation of DNA damage induced by gamma radiation in gill and muscle tissues of Cyprinus carpio and their relative sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    M K, Praveen Kumar; Shyama, Soorambail K; D'Costa, Avelyno; Kadam, Samit B; Sonaye, Bhagatsingh Harisingh; Chaubey, Ramesh Chandra

    2017-10-01

    The effect of radiation on the aquatic environment is of major concern in recent years. Limited data is available on the genotoxicity of gamma radiation on different tissues of aquatic organisms. Hence, the present investigation was carried out to study the DNA damage induced by gamma radiation in the gill and muscle tissues and their relative sensitivity using the comet assay in the freshwater teleost fish, common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The comet assay was optimized and validated in common carp using cyclophosphamide (CP), a reference genotoxic agent. The fish were exposed (acute) to various doses of gamma radiation (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10Gy) and samplings (gill and muscle tissue) were done at regular intervals (24, 48 and 72h) to assess the DNA damage. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed as indicated by an increase in % tail DNA for all doses of gamma radiation in both tissues. We also observed a dose-related increase and a time-dependent decrease of DNA damage. In comparison, DNA damage showed different sensitivity among the tissues at different doses. This shows that a particular dose may have different effects on different tissues which could be due to physiological factors of the particular tissue. Our study also suggests that the gills and muscle of fish are sensitive and reliable tissues for evaluating the genotoxic effects of reference and environmental agents, using the comet assay. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Differentiation of water-related traits in terrestrial and epiphytic Cymbidium species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi-Bao eZhang

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Epiphytes that grow in the canopies of tropical and subtropical forests experience different water regimes when compared with terrestrial plants. However, the differences in adaptive strategies between epiphytic and terrestrial plants with respect to plant water relations remain poorly understood. To understand how water-related traits contrast between epiphytic and terrestrial growth forms within the Cymbidium (Orchidaceae, we assessed leaf anatomy, hydraulics, and physiology of seven terrestrial and 13 epiphytic species using a common garden experiment. Compared with terrestrial species, epiphytic species had higher values for leaf mass per unit area (LMA, leaf thickness (LT, epidermal thickness, saturated water content (SWC and the time required to dry saturated leaves to 70% relative water content (T70. However, vein density (Dvein, stomatal density (SD, and photosynthetic capacity (Amax did not differ significantly between the two forms. T70 was positively correlated with LT, LMA, and SWC, and negatively correlated with stomatal index (SI. Amax showed positive correlations with SD and SI, but not with Dvein. Vein density was marginally correlated with SD, and significantly correlated with SI. Overall, epiphytic orchids exhibited substantial ecophysiological differentiations from terrestrial species, with the former type showing trait values indicative of greater drought tolerance and increased water storage capacity. The ability to retain water in the leaves plays a key role in maintaining a water balance in those epiphytes. Therefore, the process of transpiration depends less upon the current substrate water supply and enables epiphytic Cymbidium species to adapt more easily to canopy habitats.

  19. [Correlation of gene expression related to amount of ginseng saponin in 15 tissues and 6 kinds of ginseng saponin biosynthesis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kang-yu; Zhang, Mei-ping; Li, Chuang; Jiang, Shi-cui; Yin, Rui; Sun, Chun-yu; Wang, Yi

    2015-08-01

    Fifteen tissues of 4-year-old fruit repining stage Jilin ginseng were chosen as materials, six kinds of monomer saponins (ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rb2 and Rd) content in 15 tissues was measured by HPLC and vanillin-sulfuric acid method. The relative expression of FPS, SQS, SQE, OSC, β-AS and P450 genes in 15 tissues was analyzed by real-time PCR. The correlations between ginseng saponin content in 15 tissues of Jilin ginseng and biosynthetic pathway -related genes were obtained. The results showed that was a synergistic increase and decrease trend of positive linear correlation among six kinds of monomer saponin content, and there was a significantly (P saponin content and total saponins content. Monomer saponin content and 6 kinds of enzyme gene correlation were different. Biosynthesis of ginseng total saponins and monomer saponin were regulated by six kinds of participation ginsenoside biosynthesis enzyme genes, the expression of these six kinds of genes in different tissues of ginseng showed collaborative increase and decrease trend, and regulated biosynthesis of ginseng ginsenoside by group coordinative manner.

  20. Pancreatic tissue fluid pressure in chronic pancreatitis. Relation to pain, morphology, and function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ebbehøj, N; Borly, L; Bülow, J

    1990-01-01

    The relation between pancreatic tissue fluid pressure and pain, morphology, and function was studied in a cross-sectional investigation. Pressure measurements were performed by percutaneous fine-needle puncture. Thirty-nine patients with chronic pancreatitis were included, 25 with pain and 14...... without (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0003, respectively). The pressure was significantly related (inversely) to pancreatic duct diameter only in the group of 19 patients with earlier pancreatic surgery (R = -0.57, p = 0.02). The pressure was not related to functional factors or the presence of pancreatic...... without pain. The pressure was higher in patients with pain than in patients without pain (p = 0.000001), and this was significantly related to a pain score from a visual analogue scale (p less than 0.001). Patients with pancreatic pseudocysts had both higher pressure and higher pain score than patients...

  1. Defining the Adipose Tissue Proteome of Dairy Cows to Reveal Biomarkers Related to Peripartum Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zachut, Maya

    2015-07-02

    Adipose tissue is a central regulator of metabolism in dairy cows; however, little is known about the association between various proteins in adipose tissue and the metabolic status of peripartum cows. Therefore, the objectives were to (1) examine total protein expression in adipose tissue of dairy cows and (2) identify biomarkers in adipose that are linked to insulin resistance and to cows' metabolic status. Adipose tissue biopsies were obtained from eight multiparous cows at -17 and +4 days relative to parturition. Proteins were analyzed by intensity-based, label-free, quantitative shotgun proteomics (nanoLC-MS/MS). Cows were divided into groups with insulin-resistant (IR) and insulin-sensitive (IS) adipose according to protein kinase B phosphorylation following insulin stimulation. Cows with IR adipose lost more body weight postpartum compared with IS cows. Differential expression of 143 out of 586 proteins was detected in prepartum versus postpartum adipose. Comparing IR to IS adipose revealed differential expression of 18.9% of the proteins; those related to lipolysis (hormone-sensitive lipase, perilipin, monoglycerol lipase) were increased in IR adipose. In conclusion, we found novel biomarkers related to IR in adipose and to metabolic status that could be used to characterize high-yielding dairy cows that are better adapted to peripartum metabolic stress.

  2. Plant-water relations and productivity of date palm (Phoenix dactyliferaL.) Cultivars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Khalifah, N.S.; Khan, P.R.

    2006-01-01

    The present investigation deals with the plant-water relation and itseffect on chlorophyll content and productivity in six date palm cultivars.Growth and yield of date palm cultivars differed at the expense of same levelof relative water content. Maktoomi showed a significantly higher leafletarea coupled with a higher amount of chlorophyll pigments that led to higheryield per tree. Koweriah recorded a poor yield by having significantly lowerchlorophyll content and leaflet area. Relative Water Content (RWC) had noeffect on the fruit quality. Correlation among the relative water content,chlorophyll content, leaf specific mass and yield was also analyzed. Most ofthe pairs of parameters exhibited a highly significant correlation for thesix cultivars. Apart from physiological parameters, the effect of malepollinator with suitable combination of female variety had a great effect onthe fruit set and yield of date palm. (author)

  3. Disease related tissue damage and subsequent changes in fillet structure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    of the fish and subsequent a reduction in price. Despite this, the impact of infectious diseases on the meat quality and the mechanisms behind are poorly investigated. Wound repair is a dynamic, interactive response to tissue injury that involves a complex interaction and cross talk of various cell types......, extracellular matrix molecules, soluble mediators and cytokines. In order to describe the molecular mechanisms and processes of wound repair, a panel of genes covering immunological factors and tissue regeneration were used to measure changes at the mRNA level following mechanical tissue damage in rainbow trout...... (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Needle disrupted muscle tissue was sampled at different time points and subject to real-time RT-PCR for measuring the expression of the genes IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, TGF-β, Myostatin-1ab, MMP-2, CTGF, Collagen-1α, VEGF, iNOS, Arg-2 and FGF. The results showed an initial phase with up...

  4. Water Related Health Problems in Central Asia—A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zakir Bekturganov

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The present paper provides an extensive literature review on water related health issues in Central Asia. Even though the per capita amount of available freshwater is substantial in all Central Asian states the uneven distribution in time and space creates problems for water availability. Due to this, the Central Asian economies are developing under increasing water deficiency. The degradation of water supply systems and sewage treatment plants is often severe leading to potentially high water loss rates and inadequate accessibility to safe water supply. In this context, rural areas are the most affected. Low tariffs in combination with absent metering and low collection rates for water fees mean that operation and maintenance costs for basic services of water supply and sanitation are not covered. Unsafe water supply contains both microbiological and non-microbiological contaminants. Helminthiasis and intestinal protozoa infections are of considerable public health importance in Central Asia. Agricultural and industrial pollution is especially affecting downstream areas of Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers. In large areas copper, zinc, and chromium concentrations in water exceed maximum permissible concentration. Thus, there is an urgent need to strengthen the environmental monitoring system. Small-scale water supply and sanitation systems need to be developed in line with more efficient public spending on these.

  5. The influence of water/air cooling on collateral tissue damage using a diode laser with an innovative pulse design (micropulsed mode)-an in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beer, F; Körpert, W; Buchmair, A G; Passow, H; Meinl, A; Heimel, P; Moritz, A

    2013-05-01

    Since the diode laser is a good compromise for the daily use in dental offices, finding usage in numerous dental indications (e.g., surgery, periodontics, and endodontics), the minimization of the collateral damage in laser surgery is important to improve the therapeutical outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of water/air cooling on the collateral thermal soft tissue damage of 980-nm diode laser incisions. A total of 36 mechanically executed laser cuts in pork liver were made with a 980-nm diode laser in micropulsed mode with three different settings of water/air cooling and examined by histological assessment to determine the area and size of carbonization, necrosis, and reversible tissue damage as well as incision depth and width. In our study, clearly the incision depth increased significantly under water/air cooling (270.9 versus 502.3 μm-test group 3) without significant changes of incision width. In test group 2, the total area of damage was significantly smaller than in the control group (in this group, the incision depth increases by 65 %). In test group 3, the total area of damage was significantly higher (incision depth increased by 85 %), but the bigger part of it represented a reversible tissue alteration leaving the amount of irreversible damage almost the same as in the control group. This first pilot study clearly shows that water/air cooling in vitro has an effect on collateral tissue damage. Further studies will have to verify, if the reduced collateral damage we have proved in this study can lead to accelerated wound healing. Reduction of collateral thermal damage after diode laser incisions is clinically relevant for promoted wound healing.

  6. SU-G-IeP1-06: Estimating Relative Tissue Density From Quantitative MR Images: A Novel Perspective for MRI-Only Heterogeneity Corrected Dose Calculation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soliman, A; Hashemi, M; Safigholi, H; Tchistiakova, E; Song, W

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: To explore the feasibility of extracting the relative density from quantitative MRI measurements as well as estimate a correlation between the extracted measures and CT Hounsfield units. Methods: MRI has the ability to separate water and fat signals, producing two separate images for each component. By performing appropriate corrections on the separated images, quantitative measurement of water and fat mass density can be estimated. This work aims to test this hypothesis on 1.5T.Peanut oil was used as fat-representative, while agar as water-representative. Gadolinium Chloride III and Sodium Chloride were added to the agar solution to adjust the relaxation times and the medium conductivity, respectively. Peanut oil was added to the agar solution with different percentages: 0%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100%. The phantom was scanned on 1.5T GE Optima 450W with the body coil using a multigradient echo sequences. Water/fat separation were performed while correcting for main field (B0) inhomogeneity and T_2* relaxation time. B1+ inhomogeneities were ignored. The phantom was subsequently scanned on a Philips Brilliance CT Big Bore. MR-corrected fat signal from all vials were normalized to 100% fat signal. CT Hounsfield values were then compared to those obtained from the normalized MR-corrected fat values as well as to the phantom for validation. Results: Good agreement were found between CT HU and the MR-extracted fat values (R"2 = 0.98). CT HU also showed excellent agreement with the prepared fat fractions (R"2=0.99). Vials with 70%, 80%, and 90% fat percentages showed inhomogeneous distributions, however their results were included for completion. Conclusion: Quantitative MRI water/fat imaging can be potentially used to extract the relative tissue density. Further in-vivo validation are required.

  7. SU-G-IeP1-06: Estimating Relative Tissue Density From Quantitative MR Images: A Novel Perspective for MRI-Only Heterogeneity Corrected Dose Calculation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soliman, A; Hashemi, M; Safigholi, H [Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON (Canada); Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON (Canada); Tchistiakova, E [Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada); Song, W [Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON (Canada); Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON (Canada); University of Toronto, Toronto, ON (Canada)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To explore the feasibility of extracting the relative density from quantitative MRI measurements as well as estimate a correlation between the extracted measures and CT Hounsfield units. Methods: MRI has the ability to separate water and fat signals, producing two separate images for each component. By performing appropriate corrections on the separated images, quantitative measurement of water and fat mass density can be estimated. This work aims to test this hypothesis on 1.5T.Peanut oil was used as fat-representative, while agar as water-representative. Gadolinium Chloride III and Sodium Chloride were added to the agar solution to adjust the relaxation times and the medium conductivity, respectively. Peanut oil was added to the agar solution with different percentages: 0%, 3%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100%. The phantom was scanned on 1.5T GE Optima 450W with the body coil using a multigradient echo sequences. Water/fat separation were performed while correcting for main field (B0) inhomogeneity and T{sub 2}* relaxation time. B1+ inhomogeneities were ignored. The phantom was subsequently scanned on a Philips Brilliance CT Big Bore. MR-corrected fat signal from all vials were normalized to 100% fat signal. CT Hounsfield values were then compared to those obtained from the normalized MR-corrected fat values as well as to the phantom for validation. Results: Good agreement were found between CT HU and the MR-extracted fat values (R{sup 2} = 0.98). CT HU also showed excellent agreement with the prepared fat fractions (R{sup 2}=0.99). Vials with 70%, 80%, and 90% fat percentages showed inhomogeneous distributions, however their results were included for completion. Conclusion: Quantitative MRI water/fat imaging can be potentially used to extract the relative tissue density. Further in-vivo validation are required.

  8. Metabolism distribution and transfer of tritium in pregnant mice after exposure to tritium water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Huimin; Zhou Xiangyan; Li Li; Zhang Zhixing

    1993-01-01

    Tritium water with three kind of different dose was singly injected intraperitoneally to pregnant mice in various time. The tritium concentration in the tissues from mother mice were measured on the 3.5 days after mother mice parturition. Dose rates in baby mice were estimated, as well as the transfer coefficient of tritium from mother mice to baby mice was calculated based on the tritium concentrations. The results of the experiment showed that tritium was almost uniformly distributed among the tissues after exposure to tritiated water at three experimental groups. However, it was found that relative concentrations of tritium in the baby mice tissues were consistently higher than that in mother mice tissues for three experimental groups. The relative concentration of tritium in the tissues was not affected by the different dose but developing on the exposure time. The results of radiation dose rates from baby mice estimation at the end of exposure showed that the higher radiation dose rates was found in the mice exposed to tritiated water during 7.5 days. The transfer coefficient of tritium from mother mice into baby mice was almost no different among the three radiation dose groups. The highest transfer coefficient was observed in mother mice exposed to tritiated baby mice was almost no different among the three radiation dose groups. The highest coefficient was observed in mother mice exposed to tritiated water during 16.5 days, however it was not found that transfer coefficient were higher in the mother mice exposed to tritiated water during 11.5 days than that of 7.5 days

  9. 78 FR 72109 - Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-02

    ... continues negotiations on an operations, maintenance and replacement transfer contract with the Navajo... Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of... individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation...

  10. 78 FR 46365 - Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-31

    ..., Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming: Contracts for extraordinary maintenance and replacement... Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of... individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation...

  11. 78 FR 72111 - Quarterly Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-02

    ...: Reclamation continues negotiations on an operations, maintenance and replacement transfer contract with the... Status Report of Water Service, Repayment, and Other Water-Related Contract Actions AGENCY: Bureau of... individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation...

  12. A novel multi-tissue RNA diagnostic of healthy ageing relates to cognitive health status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Sanjana; Gallagher, Iain J; Lunnon, Katie; Rullman, Eric; Keohane, Aoife; Crossland, Hannah; Phillips, Bethan E; Cederholm, Tommy; Jensen, Thomas; van Loon, Luc J C; Lannfelt, Lars; Kraus, William E; Atherton, Philip J; Howard, Robert; Gustafsson, Thomas; Hodges, Angela; Timmons, James A

    2015-09-07

    Diagnostics of the human ageing process may help predict future healthcare needs or guide preventative measures for tackling diseases of older age. We take a transcriptomics approach to build the first reproducible multi-tissue RNA expression signature by gene-chip profiling tissue from sedentary normal subjects who reached 65 years of age in good health. One hundred and fifty probe-sets form an accurate classifier of young versus older muscle tissue and this healthy ageing RNA classifier performed consistently in independent cohorts of human muscle, skin and brain tissue (n = 594, AUC = 0.83-0.96) and thus represents a biomarker for biological age. Using the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men birth-cohort (n = 108) we demonstrate that the RNA classifier is insensitive to confounding lifestyle biomarkers, while greater gene score at age 70 years is independently associated with better renal function at age 82 years and longevity. The gene score is 'up-regulated' in healthy human hippocampus with age, and when applied to blood RNA profiles from two large independent age-matched dementia case-control data sets (n = 717) the healthy controls have significantly greater gene scores than those with cognitive impairment. Alone, or when combined with our previously described prototype Alzheimer disease (AD) RNA 'disease signature', the healthy ageing RNA classifier is diagnostic for AD. We identify a novel and statistically robust multi-tissue RNA signature of human healthy ageing that can act as a diagnostic of future health, using only a peripheral blood sample. This RNA signature has great potential to assist research aimed at finding treatments for and/or management of AD and other ageing-related conditions.

  13. Water retention capacity of tissue cultured plants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klerk, de G.J.M.; Wijnhoven, F.

    2005-01-01

    Leaves rapidly close their stomata after detachment resulting in a strong reduction of water loss. It has been reported that detached leaves of in vitro produced plants show continuous water loss indicating that they are unable to close the stomata properly and/or that their cuticle is

  14. Gingival Tissue Color Related With Facial Skin and Acrylic Resin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this study is to determine the predominant gingival tissue colour in this environment; to assess the association of gingival tissue colour with gender and facial skin colour. Four hundred and thirty subjects that attended the Dental Centre, University College Hospital, Ibadan, who consented to participate in the ...

  15. Influence of enrofloxacin traces in drinking water to doxycycline tissue pharmacokinetics in healthy and infected by Mycoplasma gallisepticum broiler chickens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gbylik-Sikorska, Malgorzata; Posyniak, Andrzej; Sniegocki, Tomasz; Sell, Bartosz; Gajda, Anna; Sawicka, Anna; Olszewska-Tomczyk, Monika; Bladek, Tomasz; Tomczyk, Grzegorz; Zmudzki, Jan

    2016-04-01

    Most of antibiotics, administrated in the treatment of poultry diseases are dissolved in drinking water, and it can lead to water supply systems contamination, especially when the regular cleaning is not using. This situation can lead to unconscious administration of low doses of antibiotics to untreated animals. The aim of this study was to clarify the impact of the exposure of enrofloxacin traces (500 μg l(-1)) to doxycycline pharmacokinetics in healthy and experimentally Mycoplasma gallisepticum infected broiler chickens., Two experimental groups, received of enrofloxacin in water and all groups, received 20 mg kg(-1) bw of doxycycline. The compounds concentrations in muscles and livers were determined by LC-MS/MS. The maximum drug tissue concentration (Cmax) of doxycycline was highest in liver obtained from infected chickens which, received enrofloxacin traces (ENR + DC/MG). It was about 40% higher than in healthy chickens from group I which received only doxycycline. It was found that the concentration-time curve AUC(0-t) values in group ENR + DC/MG were almost 75% higher than in the group (DC) and 35% higher than in group (ENR + DC) which also received enrofloxacin traces. The constant exposure of broiler chickens on enrofloxacin traces as well as infection, may significantly influenced on doxycycline tissue pharmacokinetic profile. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. DIURNAL CHANGES IN LEAF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RELATIVE WATER CONTENT OF GRAPEVINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Popescu

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Variation in light intensity, air temperature and relative air humidity leads to diurnal variations of photosynthetic rate and leaf relative water content. In order to determine the diurnal changes in net photosynthetic rate of vine plants and influence of the main environmental factors, gas exchange in the vine leaves were measure using a portable plant CO2 analysis package. The results show that diurnal changes in photosynthetic rate could be interpreted as single-peak curve, with a maximum at noon (10.794 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Leaf relative water content has maximum value in the morning; the values may slightly decrease during the day (day of June, with normal temperature, no rain, no water restriction in soil.

  17. Raman Spectroscopy of Ocular Tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermakov, Igor V.; Sharifzadeh, Mohsen; Gellermann, Warner

    The optically transparent nature of the human eye has motivated numerous Raman studies aimed at the non-invasive optical probing of ocular tissue components critical to healthy vision. Investigations include the qualitative and quantitative detection of tissue-specific molecular constituents, compositional changes occurring with development of ocular pathology, and the detection and tracking of ocular drugs and nutritional supplements. Motivated by a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms leading to cataract formation in the aging human lens, a great deal of work has centered on the Raman detection of proteins and water content in the lens. Several protein groups and the hydroxyl response are readily detectable. Changes of protein compositions can be studied in excised noncataractous tissue versus aged tissue preparations as well as in tissue samples with artificially induced cataracts. Most of these studies are carried out in vitro using suitable animal models and conventional Raman techniques. Tissue water content plays an important role in optimum light transmission of the outermost transparent ocular structure, the cornea. Using confocal Raman spectroscopy techniques, it has been possible to non-invasively measure the water to protein ratio as a measure of hydration status and to track drug-induced changes of the hydration levels in the rabbit cornea at various depths. The aqueous humor, normally supplying nutrients to cornea and lens, has an advantageous anterior location for Raman studies. Increasing efforts are pursued to non-invasively detect the presence of glucose and therapeutic concentrations of antibiotic drugs in this medium. In retinal tissue, Raman spectroscopy proves to be an important tool for research into the causes of macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible vision disorders and blindness in the elderly. It has been possible to detect the spectral features of advanced glycation and advanced lipooxydation end products in

  18. Estimates of Leaf Relative Water Content from Optical Polarization Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlgren, R. P.; Vanderbilt, V. C.; Daughtry, C. S. T.

    2017-12-01

    Remotely sensing the water status of plant canopies remains a long term goal of remote sensing research. Existing approaches to remotely sensing canopy water status, such as the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) and the Equivalent Water Thickness (EWT), have limitations. The CWSI, based upon remotely sensing canopy radiant temperature in the thermal infrared spectral region, does not work well in humid regions, requires estimates of the vapor pressure deficit near the canopy during the remote sensing over-flight and, once stomata close, provides little information regarding the canopy water status. The EWT is based upon the physics of water-light interaction in the 900-2000nm spectral region, not plant physiology. Our goal, development of a remote sensing technique for estimating plant water status based upon measurements in the VIS/NIR spectral region, would potentially provide remote sensing access to plant dehydration physiology - to the cellular photochemistry and structural changes associated with water deficits in leaves. In this research, we used optical, crossed polarization filters to measure the VIS/NIR light reflected from the leaf interior, R, as well as the leaf transmittance, T, for 78 corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) leaves having relative water contents (RWC) between 0.60 and 0.98. Our results show that as RWC decreases R increases while T decreases. Our results tie R and T changes in the VIS/NIR to leaf physiological changes - linking the light scattered out of the drying leaf interior to its relative water content and to changes in leaf cellular structure and pigments. Our results suggest remotely sensing the physiological water status of a single leaf - and perhaps of a plant canopy - might be possible in the future.

  19. Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglin, W A; Smalling, K L; Anderson, C; Calhoun, D; Chestnut, T; Muths, E

    2016-10-01

    To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for >90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature. Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to survive

  20. Potential interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality and adjacent land cover in amphibian habitats in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglin, William A.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Anderson, Chauncey; Calhoun, Daniel L.; Chestnut, Tara E.; Muths, Erin L.

    2016-01-01

    To investigate interactions among disease, pesticides, water quality, and adjacent land cover, we collected samples of water, sediment, and frog tissue from 21 sites in 7 States in the United States (US) representing a variety of amphibian habitats. All samples were analyzed for > 90 pesticides and pesticide degradates, and water and frogs were screened for the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) using molecular methods. Pesticides and pesticide degradates were detected frequently in frog breeding habitats (water and sediment) as well as in frog tissue. Fungicides occurred more frequently in water, sediment, and tissue than was expected based upon their limited use relative to herbicides or insecticides. Pesticide occurrence in water or sediment was not a strong predictor of occurrence in tissue, but pesticide concentrations in tissue were correlated positively to agricultural and urban land, and negatively to forested land in 2-km buffers around the sites. Bd was detected in water at 45% of sites, and on 34% of swabbed frogs. Bd detections in water were not associated with differences in land use around sites, but sites with detections had colder water. Frogs that tested positive for Bd were associated with sites that had higher total fungicide concentrations in water and sediment, but lower insecticide concentrations in sediments relative to frogs that were Bd negative. Bd concentrations on frog swabs were positively correlated to dissolved organic carbon, and total nitrogen and phosphorus, and negatively correlated to pH and water temperature.Data were collected from a range of locations and amphibian habitats and represent some of the first field-collected information aimed at understanding the interactions between pesticides, land use, and amphibian disease. These interactions are of particular interest to conservation efforts as many amphibians live in altered habitats and may depend on wetlands embedded in these landscapes to

  1. Global gray water footprint and water pollution levels related to anthropogenic nitrogen loads to fresh water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mekonnen, Mesfin; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert

    2015-01-01

    This is the first global assessment of nitrogen-related water pollution in river basins with a specification of the pollution by economic sector, and by crop for the agricultural sector. At a spatial resolution of 5 by 5 arc minute, we estimate anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads to freshwater,

  2. Osteoporosis in water buffalo, in relation to age, clinical condition of the animal and physical-chemical bone and hepatic copper status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Washington Luiz Assunção Pereira

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper is part of a research program of metabolic nutritional diseases in water buffalo in the Humid Tropical Amazon. In that context, the objective was to study osteoporotic processes in buffalo raised in a grazing system on Marajó Island and the relation of the disease with the age as well as physical-chemical bone and hepatic copper status. One hundred and ten animals were evaluated: 39 young or juvenile and 71 adults that presented Body Condition Index from 1 to 2. One group was composed by young buffalo and another by adult animals. Based on anatomical-clinical and bone quality analyses, the animals were subdivided in two sub-groups, according to presence or absence of clinical signs of apparent osteopathic. Analysis of calcium, phosphorus, ash and bone density was performed on the middle third of the 11th right rib, and the copper concentration was determined from liver tissue. Pathological anatomical findings showed that 98.44% of juvenile animals and 96.16% of adult animals, respectively, presented some degree of osteoporosis (+, ++, +++. Low average percentages were demonstrated for phosphorus (10.69%, in ashes (60.24% and in density (1.46 g/ml. Hepatic copper presented similar low values (19.51 mg/kg. The results showed that juvenile animals presented more severe clinical sign of osteoporosis, and the pathogenesis may be related to low reserves of phosphorus in bony tissue and copper in liver tissue.

  3. Tissue lead concentration during chronic exposure of Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow) to lead nitrate in aquarium water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spokas, Eric G; Spur, Bernd W; Smith, Holly; Kemp, Francis W; Bogden, John D

    2006-11-01

    The fathead minnow is a useful species for evaluating the toxicity of wastewater effluents. While this fish is widely used for "survival" studies of metal toxicity, little or no work has been done on the tissue distribution of metals in fathead minnows. To determine the distribution of tissue lead, aquarium studies were conducted for several weeks with fish maintained in soft synthetic freshwater. Lead- (II) nitrate was added to three aquaria attaining concentrations of 20-30 ppb (aquarium B), 100-140 ppb (aquarium C), and roughly 200 ppb (aquarium D). Results were compared to controls (aquarium A). During the initial week, the majority of aquarium D fish died, whereas few deaths occurred in the other groups. Lead accumulation was dose- and tissue-dependent, with highest uptake by the gills. Gill concentrations of aquarium D fish averaged about 4-fold higherthan in skeleton or skin and muscle. In vitro, lead (2.5-25 ppm) caused dose-dependent reductions in the ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) in gills incubated in physiological buffer. These findings demonstrate that fathead minnow gills bind and accumulate waterborne lead rapidly and preferentially and raise the possibility that gill lipid peroxidation contributes to lead toxicity at low water hardness.

  4. Probabilistic and possibilistic approach for assessment of radiological risk due to organically bound and tissue free water tritium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dahiya, Sudhir; Hegde, A.G.; Joshi, M.L.; Verma, P.C.; Kushwaha, H.S.

    2006-01-01

    This study illustrates use of two approaches namely probabilistic using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and possibilistic using fuzzy α-cut (FAC) to estimate the radiological cancer risk to the population from ingestion of organically bound tritium (OBT) and tissue free water tritium (TFWT) from fish consumption from the Rana Pratap Sagar Lake (RPSL), Kota. Using FAC technique, radiological cancer risk rate (year -1 ) at A αl.0 level were 1.15E-08 and 1.50E-09 for OBT and TFWT respectively from fish ingestion pathway. The radiological cancer risk rate (year -1 ) using MCS approach at 50th percentile (median) level is 1.14E-08 and 1.49E-09 for OBT and HTO respectively from ingestion of fresh water fish. (author)

  5. Recurrent pregnancy-related upper airway obstruction caused by intratracheal ectopic thyroid tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Døssing, H; Jørgensen, K E; Oster-Jørgensen, E

    1999-01-01

    An unusual case of recurrent pregnancy-related thyroid growth stimulation is reported. A 27-year-old euthyroid woman had pulmonary symptoms, thought to be asthma during her first pregnancy, that improved postpartum. Bronchodilatators had no effect and symptoms recurred from gestational week 22...... during her second pregnancy. Her 58-mL multinodular goiter (by ultrasound) was not thought to be responsible for her upper airway symptoms. Therefore, fiber laryngoscopy and computed tomographic (CT) scan were performed and revealed a 20 x 15 x 10 mm intratracheal tumor. After tracheostomy...... developed normally. We believe that this case illustrates the recurrent effect of pregnancy-related thyroid tissue stimulation by a combination of increasing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation and iodine deficiency in a borderline iodine-deficient region. This is the first report on symptomatic...

  6. DNA from keratinous tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bengtsson, Camilla F.; Olsen, Maja E.; Brandt, Luise Ørsted

    2011-01-01

    Keratinous tissues such as nail, hair, horn, scales and feather have been used as a source of DNA for over 20 years. Particular benefits of such tissues include the ease with which they can be sampled, the relative stability of DNA in such tissues once sampled, and, in the context of ancient...... genetic analyses, the fact that sampling generally causes minimal visual damage to valuable specimens. Even when freshly sampled, however, the DNA quantity and quality in the fully keratinized parts of such tissues is extremely poor in comparison to other tissues such as blood and muscle – although little...... systematic research has been undertaken to characterize how such degradation may relate to sample source. In this review paper we present the current understanding of the quality and limitations of DNA in two key keratinous tissues, nail and hair. The findings indicate that although some fragments of nuclear...

  7. Are leaf physiological traits related to leaf water isotopic enrichment in restinga woody species?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BRUNO H.P. ROSADO

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available During plant-transpiration, water molecules having the lighter stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen evaporate and diffuse at a faster rate through the stomata than molecules having the heavier isotopes, which cause isotopic enrichment of leaf water. Although previous models have assumed that leaf water is well-mixed and isotopically uniform, non-uniform stomatal closure, promoting different enrichments between cells, and different pools of water within leaves, due to morpho-physiological traits, might lead to inaccuracies in isotopic models predicting leaf water enrichment. We evaluate the role of leaf morpho-physiological traits on leaf water isotopic enrichment in woody species occurring in a coastal vegetation of Brazil known as restinga. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope values of soil, plant stem and leaf water and leaf traits were measured in six species from restinga vegetation during a drought and a wet period. Leaf water isotopic enrichment relative to stem water was more homogeneous among species during the drought in contrast to the wet period suggesting convergent responses to deal to temporal heterogeneity in water availability. Average leaf water isotopic enrichment relative to stem water during the drought period was highly correlated with relative apoplastic water content. We discuss this observation in the context of current models of leaf water isotopic enrichment as a function of the Péclet effect. We suggest that future studies should include relative apoplastic water content in isotopic models.

  8. Are leaf physiological traits related to leaf water isotopic enrichment in restinga woody species?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosado, Bruno H P; De Mattos, Eduardo A; Sternberg, Leonel Da S L

    2013-09-01

    During plant-transpiration, water molecules having the lighter stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen evaporate and diffuse at a faster rate through the stomata than molecules having the heavier isotopes, which cause isotopic enrichment of leaf water. Although previous models have assumed that leaf water is well-mixed and isotopically uniform, non-uniform stomatal closure, promoting different enrichments between cells, and different pools of water within leaves, due to morpho-physiological traits, might lead to inaccuracies in isotopic models predicting leaf water enrichment. We evaluate the role of leaf morpho-physiological traits on leaf water isotopic enrichment in woody species occurring in a coastal vegetation of Brazil known as restinga. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope values of soil, plant stem and leaf water and leaf traits were measured in six species from restinga vegetation during a drought and a wet period. Leaf water isotopic enrichment relative to stem water was more homogeneous among species during the drought in contrast to the wet period suggesting convergent responses to deal to temporal heterogeneity in water availability. Average leaf water isotopic enrichment relative to stem water during the drought period was highly correlated with relative apoplastic water content. We discuss this observation in the context of current models of leaf water isotopic enrichment as a function of the Péclet effect. We suggest that future studies should include relative apoplastic water content in isotopic models.

  9. Methamphetamine and amphetamine concentrations in postmortem rabbit tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagata, T; Kimura, K; Hara, K; Kudo, K

    1990-11-01

    The feasibility of detecting methamphetamine and its major metabolite, amphetamine, in postmortem tissues over a 2-year period was examined. It is important to determine if the abuse and toxic effects of drugs can be proved from evidence found in decayed, submerged, or stained tissue materials. The blood, urine, liver, skeletal muscle, skin and extremity bones from rabbits given methamphetamine intravenously were kept at room temperature, under 4 different conditions: sealed in a test tube, dried in the open air, submerged in tap water and stained on gauze. Methamphetamine was present in all the samples, with slight change in concentration in case of sealed and air dried tissues. Changes varied in bones kept in water. There were considerable decreases in methamphetamine in blood and urine stains. Despite long term storage, drug abuse and/or toxicity could be determined, in all tissues examined.

  10. Hydrogels for precision meniscus tissue engineering: a comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rey-Rico, Ana; Cucchiarini, Magali; Madry, Henning

    The meniscus plays a pivotal role to preserve the knee joint homeostasis. Lesions to the meniscus are frequent, have a reduced ability to heal, and may induce tibiofemoral osteoarthritis. Current reconstructive therapeutic options mainly focus on the treatment of lesions in the peripheral vascularized region. In contrast, few approaches are capable of stimulating repair of damaged meniscal tissue in the central, avascular portion. Tissue engineering approaches are of high interest to repair or replace damaged meniscus tissue in this area. Hydrogel-based biomaterials are of special interest for meniscus repair as its inner part contains relatively high proportions of proteoglycans which are responsible for the viscoelastic compressive properties and hydration grade. Hydrogels exhibiting high water content and providing a specific three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment may be engineered to precisely resemble this topographical composition of the meniscal tissue. Different polymers of both natural and synthetic origins have been manipulated to produce hydrogels hosting relevant cell populations for meniscus regeneration and provide platforms for meniscus tissue replacement. So far, these compounds have been employed to design controlled delivery systems of bioactive molecules involved in meniscal reparative processes or to host genetically modified cells as a means to enhance meniscus repair. This review describes the most recent advances on the use of hydrogels as platforms for precision meniscus tissue engineering.

  11. How are cancer and connective tissue diseases related to sarcoidosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chopra, Amit; Judson, Marc A

    2015-09-01

    Several studies have suggested an association between sarcoidosis and cancer, and between sarcoidosis and connective tissue diseases (CTDs). In this review, we discuss the evidence supporting and refuting these associations. In terms of a cancer risk in sarcoidosis patients, the data are somewhat conflicting but generally show a very small increased risk. The data supporting an association between sarcoidosis and CTD are not as robust as for cancer. However, it appears that scleroderma is the CTD most strongly associated with sarcoidosis. There are several important clinical and research-related implications of the association of sarcoidosis and CTDs. First, rigorous efforts should be made to exclude alternative causes for granulomatous inflammation before establishing a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Second, the association between sarcoidosis and both cancer and CTDs may yield important insights into the immunopathogenesis of all three diseases. Finally, these data provide insight in answering a common question asked by sarcoidosis patients, 'Am I at an increased risk of developing cancer?' We believe that although there is an increased (relative) risk of cancer in sarcoidosis patients compared with the general population, that increased risk is quite small (low absolute risk).

  12. The peri-esophageal connective tissue layers and related compartments: visualization by histology and magnetic resonance imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weijs, T J; Goense, L; van Rossum, P S N; Meijer, G J; van Lier, A L H M W; Wessels, F J; Braat, M N G; Lips, I M; Ruurda, J P; Cuesta, M A; van Hillegersberg, R; Bleys, R L A W

    2017-02-01

    An organized layer of connective tissue coursing from aorta to esophagus was recently discovered in the mediastinum. The relations with other peri-esophageal fascias have not been described and it is unclear whether this layer can be visualized by non-invasive imaging. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive description of the peri-esophageal fascias and determine whether the connective tissue layer between aorta and esophagus can be visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). First, T2-weighted MRI scanning of the thoracic region of a human cadaver was performed, followed by histological examination of transverse sections of the peri-esophageal tissue between the thyroid gland and the diaphragm. Secondly, pretreatment motion-triggered MRI scans were prospectively obtained from 34 patients with esophageal cancer and independently assessed by two radiologists for the presence and location of the connective tissue layer coursing from aorta to esophagus. A layer of connective tissue coursing from the anterior aspect of the descending aorta to the left lateral aspect of the esophagus, with a thin extension coursing to the right pleural reflection, was visualized ex vivo in the cadaver on MR images, macroscopic tissue sections, and after histologic staining, as well as on in vivo MR images. The layer connecting esophagus and aorta was named 'aorto-esophageal ligament' and the layer connecting aorta to the right pleural reflection 'aorto-pleural ligament'. These connective tissue layers divides the posterior mediastinum in an anterior compartment containing the esophagus, (carinal) lymph nodes and vagus nerve, and a posterior compartment, containing the azygos vein, thoracic duct and occasionally lymph nodes. The anterior compartment was named 'peri-esophageal compartment' and the posterior compartment 'para-aortic compartment'. The connective tissue layers superior to the aortic arch and at the diaphragm corresponded with the currently available anatomic

  13. Estrogen-related receptor gamma disruption of source water and drinking water treatment processes extracts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Na; Jiang, Weiwei; Rao, Kaifeng; Ma, Mei; Wang, Zijian; Kumaran, Satyanarayanan Senthik

    2011-01-01

    Environmental chemicals in drinking water can impact human health through nuclear receptors. Additionally, estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) are vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting effects. To date, however, ERR disruption of drinking water potency has not been reported. We used ERRgamma two-hybrid yeast assay to screen ERRgamma disrupting activities in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in north China and in source water from a reservoir, focusing on agonistic, antagonistic, and inverse agonistic activity to 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT). Water treatment processes in the DWTP consisted of pre-chlorination, coagulation, coal and sand filtration, activated carbon filtration, and secondary chlorination processes. Samples were extracted by solid phase extraction. Results showed that ERRgamma antagonistic activities were found in all sample extracts, but agonistic and inverse agonistic activity to 4-OHT was not found. When calibrated with the toxic equivalent of 4-OHT, antagonistic effluent effects ranged from 3.4 to 33.1 microg/L. In the treatment processes, secondary chlorination was effective in removing ERRgamma antagonists, but the coagulation process led to significantly increased ERRgamma antagonistic activity. The drinking water treatment processes removed 73.5% of ERRgamma antagonists. To our knowledge, the occurrence of ERRgamma disruption activities on source and drinking water in vitro had not been reported previously. It is vital, therefore, to increase our understanding of ERRy disrupting activities in drinking water.

  14. The effect of pressure and shear on tissue viability of human skin in relation to the development of pressure ulcers: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoogendoorn, Iris; Reenalda, Jasper; Koopman, Bart F J M; Rietman, Johan S

    2017-08-01

    Pressure ulcers are a significant problem in health care, due to high costs and large impact on patients' life. In general, pressure ulcers develop as tissue viability decreases due to prolonged mechanical loading. The relation between load and tissue viability is highly influenced by individual characteristics. It is proposed that measurements of skin blood flow regulation could provide good assessment of the risk for pressure ulcer development, as skin blood flow is essential for tissue viability. . Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to gain insight in the relation between mechanical load and the response of the skin and underlying tissue to this loading measured in-vivo with non-invasive techniques. A systematic literature search was performed to identify articles analysing the relation between mechanical load (pressure and/or shear) and tissue viability measured in-vivo. Two independent reviewers scored the methodological quality of the 22 included studies. Methodological information as well as tissue viability parameters during load application and after load removal were extracted from the included articles and used in a meta-analysis. Pressure results in a decrease in skin blood flow parameters, compared to baseline; showing a larger decrease with higher magnitudes of load. The steepness of the decrease is mostly dependent on the anatomical location. After load removal the magnitude of the post-reactive hyperaemic peak is related to the magnitude of pressure. Lastly, shear in addition to pressure, shows an additional negative effect, but the effect is less apparent than pressure on skin viability. Copyright © 2017 Tissue Viability Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of Water Deficit on Water Relations, Photosynthesis and Osmolytes Accumulation of Salvia leriifolia Benth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Dashti

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In order to investigate the effect of water deficit (WD stress on water relations and some physiological characteristics of Salvia leriifolia Bench., a greenhouse experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with three replications. Irrigation treatments were fully irrigated as control (-0.035 MPa, mild stress (-0.138 MPa, moderate stress (-0.516 MPa and severe stress (-1.92 MPa. One set of stressed plants were kept constantly in different levels of matric potentials and the other set (Recovery treatments irrigated to maximum water holding capacity after soil water was depleted in each stress level. Measured parameters were leaf relative water content (LRWC, membrane stability index (MSI, prolin and soluble carbohydrates content, gas exchange parameters, Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency (WUEi and Intrinsic Gas Exchange Efficiency (GEEi. The results showed that LRWC and MSI in control plants significantly (P≤0.05 were lower than mild stress but decreased 17.3% and 21% respectively in severe stress compared to control. Soluble carbohydrates content was increased with increasing WD levels but it was only significant with control plants. There was strong negative correlation between LRWC and proline content (r= -0.99***, therefore leaves proline content increased twice (1023 nmol per g fresh weight at -1.92 Mpa compared to control. Results also indicated that gas exchange parameters were not significantly difference in mild WD against control but with decreasing soil matric potential to -1.92 Mpa, net photosynthesis rate (A, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance (gs decreased 52, 62 and 75 % respectively. In contrast WUEi and GEE increased 35 and 92% respectively.

  16. The water relations of mycorrhiza

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leyton, L.

    1982-01-01

    The wettability of the surface of ectotrophic beech mycorrhiza roots which did not have any radiating hyphae, was much less than a non-mycorrhizal root epidermis. The mycorrhizal sheath has a lower permeability to the flow of water than the uninfected root. The mycorrhizal roots absorbed water more rapidly than non-mycorrhizal roots. Possible explanations for this unusual phenomenon were (1) the development of a lower water potential in water stressed mycorrhizal roots, (2) accummulation of absorbed water in the sheath and (3) a higher permeability of the sheath to incoming than outgoing water. A study with endotrophic red clover plants confirmed that infection markedly increased growth and P uptake. This was accompanied by a reduction in the root/shoot ratio. This could be explained by a faster recovery of stressed mycorrhizal plants when water was restored because they were more efficient in taking up water. Experiments with tritiated water (THO) were initiated but consistent values for conductivity were not obtained. (author)

  17. WATER SUPPLY AND ITS RELATION TO DIARRHOEAL DISEASES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surekha Kishore

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: As per WHO estimates, 80% of all the diseases in developing countries including India are related to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. Water pollution is invariably high in community wells. As such, incidence of diarrhoeal diseases is more in the rural set up and can be partly attributed to this. About 40% of the population does not have access to safe drinking water. Objective: To establish a relationship between water supply and incidence of diarrhoeal diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sawli village, District Samudrapur (Maharashtra. The study group comprised of 75 under five children, selected by simple random sampling. Data was collected on a pre-designed questionnaire by interviewing the mothers and was analyzed using an appropriate statistical package. Results: Prevalence ofdiarrhoea was found out to be 71 %. only 8% ofthe children who were exclusively breast-fed had any episode of diarrhea. Incidence of diarrhea was high in cases that were drawing water from open wells i.e. 65.3%. Only 28.5% cases reported diarrhea and were drawing water from sanitaiy wells as against 80.32% who took water from insanitary welts. About 45.33% mothers had wrong beliefs about thecauses of diarrhea. ORSwas used in only 30.66% of the cases as a treatment modality. Conclusions: Diarrhoeal incidence was significantly high in children below 3 years of age, prevalence was least in exclusively breast fed

  18. Analytical Estimation of Water-Oil Relative Permeabilities through Fractures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saboorian-Jooybari Hadi

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Modeling multiphase flow through fractures is a key issue for understanding flow mechanism and performance prediction of fractured petroleum reservoirs, geothermal reservoirs, underground aquifers and carbon-dioxide sequestration. One of the most challenging subjects in modeling of fractured petroleum reservoirs is quantifying fluids competition for flow in fracture network (relative permeability curves. Unfortunately, there is no standard technique for experimental measurement of relative permeabilities through fractures and the existing methods are very expensive, time consuming and erroneous. Although, several formulations were presented to calculate fracture relative permeability curves in the form of linear and power functions of flowing fluids saturation, it is still unclear what form of relative permeability curves must be used for proper modeling of flow through fractures and consequently accurate reservoir simulation. Basically, the classic linear relative permeability (X-type curves are used in almost all of reservoir simulators. In this work, basic fluid flow equations are combined to develop a new simple analytical model for water-oil two phase flow in a single fracture. The model gives rise to simple analytic formulations for fracture relative permeabilities. The model explicitly proves that water-oil relative permeabilities in fracture network are functions of fluids saturation, viscosity ratio, fluids density, inclination of fracture plane from horizon, pressure gradient along fracture and rock matrix wettability, however they were considered to be only functions of saturations in the classic X-type and power (Corey [35] and Honarpour et al. [28, 29] models. Eventually, validity of the proposed formulations is checked against literature experimental data. The proposed fracture relative permeability functions have several advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, they are explicit functions of the parameters which are known for

  19. Simulation of ultrasound interaction with tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edee, M.K.A.; Ogulu, A.

    1995-08-01

    We model the effect of an ultrasound beam on a water phantom by considering water as an incompressible Newtonian viscous fluid. The two-dimensional flow velocities (u,v) induced in the water phantom, mimic displacement in living tissues for a phantom of unit width. The displacements depend on the ultrasound signal which is emitted and the model also predicts the nature of the signal received. 13 refs, 3 figs

  20. In silico differential display of defense-related expressed sequence tags from sugarcane tissues infected with diazotrophic endophytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lambais Marcio R.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The expression patterns of 277 sugarcane expressed sequence tags (EST-contigs encoding putative defense-related (DR proteins were evaluated using the Sugarcane EST database. The DR proteins evaluated included chitinases, beta-1,3-glucanases, phenylalanine ammonia-lyases, chalcone synthases, chalcone isomerases, isoflavone reductases, hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins, proline-rich glycoproteins, peroxidases, catalases, superoxide dismutases, WRKY-like transcription factors and proteins involved in cell death control. Putative sugarcane WRKY proteins were compared and their phylogenetic relationships determined. A hierarchical clustering approach was used to identify DR ESTs with similar expression profiles in representative cDNA libraries. To identify DR ESTs differentially expressed in sugarcane tissues infected with Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus or Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans, 179 putative DR EST-contigs expressed in non-infected tissues (leaves and roots and/or infected tissues were selected and arrayed by similarity of their expression profiles. Changes in the expression levels of 124 putative DR EST-contigs, expressed in non-infected tissues, were evaluated in infected tissues. Approximately 42% of these EST-contigs showed no expression in infected tissues, whereas 15% and 3% showed more than 2-fold suppression in tissues infected with G. diazotrophicus or H. rubrisubalbicans, respectively. Approximately 14 and 8% of the DR EST-contigs evaluated showed more than 2-fold induction in tissues infected with G. diazotrophicus or H. rubrisubalbicans, respectively. The differential expression of clusters of DR genes may be important in the establishment of a compatible interaction between sugarcane and diazotrophic endophytes. It is suggested that the hierarchical clustering approach can be used on a genome-wide scale to identify genes likely involved in controlling plant-microorganism interactions.

  1. The water footprint of Indonesian provinces related to the consumption of crop products

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bulsink, F.; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert; Booij, Martijn J.

    2010-01-01

    National water use accounts are generally limited to statistics on water withdrawals in the different sectors of economy. They are restricted to "blue water accounts" related to production, thus excluding (a) "green" and "grey water accounts", (b) accounts of internal and international virtual water

  2. Physical exercise can influence local levels of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in tendon-related connective tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koskinen, S O A; Heinemeier, K M; Olesen, J L

    2004-01-01

    Microdialysis studies indicate that mechanical loading of human tendon tissue during exercise or training can affect local synthesis and degradation of type I collagen. Degradation of collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins is controlled by an interplay between matrix metalloproteinases...... (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs). However, it is unknown whether local levels of MMPs and TIMPs are affected by tendon loading in humans in vivo. In the present experiment, six healthy young men performed 1 h of uphill (3%) treadmill running. Dialysate was collected from microdialysis probes...... (placed in the peritendinous tissue immediately anterior to the Achilles tendon) before, immediately after, 1 day after, and 3 days after an exercise bout. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured in dialysate by gelatin zymography, and amounts were quantified by densitometry in relation to total protein...

  3. COX-2 gene expression in colon cancer tissue related to regulating factors and promoter methylation status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asting, Annika Gustafsson; Carén, Helena; Andersson, Marianne; Lönnroth, Christina; Lagerstedt, Kristina; Lundholm, Kent

    2011-01-01

    Increased cyclooxygenase activity promotes progression of colorectal cancer, but the mechanisms behind COX-2 induction remain elusive. This study was therefore aimed to define external cell signaling and transcription factors relating to high COX-2 expression in colon cancer tissue. Tumor and normal colon tissue were collected at primary curative operation in 48 unselected patients. COX-2 expression in tumor and normal colon tissue was quantified including microarray analyses on tumor mRNA accounting for high and low tumor COX-2 expression. Cross hybridization was performed between tumor and normal colon tissue. Methylation status of up-stream COX-2 promoter region was evaluated. Tumors with high COX-2 expression displayed large differences in gene expression compared to normal colon. Numerous genes with altered expression appeared in tumors of high COX-2 expression compared to tumors of low COX-2. COX-2 expression in normal colon was increased in patients with tumors of high COX-2 compared to normal colon from patients with tumors of low COX-2. IL1β, IL6 and iNOS transcripts were up-regulated among external cell signaling factors; nine transcription factors (ATF3, C/EBP, c-Fos, Fos-B, JDP2, JunB, c-Maf, NF-κB, TCF4) showed increased expression and 5 (AP-2, CBP, Elk-1, p53, PEA3) were decreased in tumors with high COX-2. The promoter region of COX-2 gene did not show consistent methylation in tumor or normal colon tissue. Transcription and external cell signaling factors are altered as covariates to COX-2 expression in colon cancer tissue, but DNA methylation of the COX-2 promoter region was not a significant factor behind COX-2 expression in tumor and normal colon tissue

  4. COX-2 gene expression in colon cancer tissue related to regulating factors and promoter methylation status

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lagerstedt Kristina

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Increased cyclooxygenase activity promotes progression of colorectal cancer, but the mechanisms behind COX-2 induction remain elusive. This study was therefore aimed to define external cell signaling and transcription factors relating to high COX-2 expression in colon cancer tissue. Method Tumor and normal colon tissue were collected at primary curative operation in 48 unselected patients. COX-2 expression in tumor and normal colon tissue was quantified including microarray analyses on tumor mRNA accounting for high and low tumor COX-2 expression. Cross hybridization was performed between tumor and normal colon tissue. Methylation status of up-stream COX-2 promoter region was evaluated. Results Tumors with high COX-2 expression displayed large differences in gene expression compared to normal colon. Numerous genes with altered expression appeared in tumors of high COX-2 expression compared to tumors of low COX-2. COX-2 expression in normal colon was increased in patients with tumors of high COX-2 compared to normal colon from patients with tumors of low COX-2. IL1β, IL6 and iNOS transcripts were up-regulated among external cell signaling factors; nine transcription factors (ATF3, C/EBP, c-Fos, Fos-B, JDP2, JunB, c-Maf, NF-κB, TCF4 showed increased expression and 5 (AP-2, CBP, Elk-1, p53, PEA3 were decreased in tumors with high COX-2. The promoter region of COX-2 gene did not show consistent methylation in tumor or normal colon tissue. Conclusions Transcription and external cell signaling factors are altered as covariates to COX-2 expression in colon cancer tissue, but DNA methylation of the COX-2 promoter region was not a significant factor behind COX-2 expression in tumor and normal colon tissue.

  5. Osmotic relations of the coelomic fluid and body wall tissues in Arenicola marina subjected to salinity change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weber, Roy E.; Spaargaren, D.H.

    1979-01-01

    nitrogenous organic molecules (ninhydrin-positive substances, NPS) in the body wall tissues and in the coelomic fluid of specimens of Arenicola in response to sudden changes in salinity. The coelomic solutes consist almost entirely of electrolytes and the osmotic contribution of NPS is essentially negligible....... In the body wall extracts, however, NPS accounts for at least one third of the osmotic concentration and for most of the substantial non-electrolyte fraction. There is no evidence from coelomic NPS measurements for extrusion of cellular amino acids during adaptation to lowered salinity. In diluted sea water...

  6. Molecular theory for nuclear magnetic relaxation in protein solutions and tissue; Surface diffusion and free-volume analogy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kimmich, R; Nusser, W; Gneiting, T [Ulm Universitaet (Federal Republic of Germany). Sektion Kernresonanzspektroskopie

    1990-04-01

    A model theory is presented explaining a series of striking phenomena observed with nuclear magnetic relaxation in protein systems such as solutions or tissue. The frequency, concentration and temperature dependences of proton or deuteron relaxation times of protein solutions and tissue are explained. It is concluded that the translational diffusion of water molecules along the rugged surfaces of proteins and, to a minor degree, protein backbone fluctuations are crucial processes. The rate limiting factor of macromolecular tumbling is assumed to be given by the free water content in a certain analogy to the free-volume model of Cohen ad Turnbull. There are two characteristic water mass fractions indicating the saturation of the hydration shells and the onset of protein tumbling. A closed and relatively simple set of relaxation formulas is presented. The potentially fractal nature of the diffusion of water molecules on the protein surface is discussed. (author). 43 refs.; 4 figs.

  7. Two-years therapy with bosentan of pulmonary arterial hypertension related to connective tissue diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Rizzo

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH is a rare but severe complication of connective tissue diseases (CTD, with a negative impact on patients survival. Bosentan, a receptor antagonist of endothelin, has been proved effective for the treatment of PAH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects and the safety of bosentan administered for 2 years in a group of patients with PAH related to CTD. Methods: Twelve patients with PAH related to systemic sclerosis (8 cases, SLE (2 cases, mixed connective tissue disease (1 case and polymyositis (1 case attending the Rheumatology Unit of Padova University were treated with bosentan for two years. Distance walked in 6 minutes, right ventricular systolic pressure and mean pulmonary artery pressure estimated by doppler echocardiography were evaluated at baseline and after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of treatment. Safety was assessed by laboratory tests performed every two months. Results: During bosentan treatment, a significant decrease of right ventricular systolic pressure was observed after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months in comparison to baseline, whereas pulmonary artery mean pressure remained unchanged. Distance walked in 6 minutes slightly increased after 6 and 12 months, but significantly decreased after 18 and 24 months, mostly because complications of CTD which compromised the ability to walk arose in 4 patients. Adverse events related to bosentan were observed in 2 cases. Conclusions: Bosentan has been demonstrated effective in reducing pulmonary arterial pressure in a two-year period of treatment. Exercise capacity improved only in the first year of therapy and worsened thereafter, suggesting the opportunity of a combination therapy for a long-term treatment of PAH related to CTD.

  8. Relative growth pattern and hard tissue of vertebral centra by microradiography of bluefin tuna

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kubo, Y.; Asano, H.

    1989-01-01

    To clarify the growth feature and the structure of hard tissue, we studied the vertebral centrum of three species, bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus, bigeye tuna T. obesus and skipjack Katsuwonus pelamis (BL: 44.2, 39.5 and 40.0cm respectively). We examined the ratio of cetrum length to diameter in each vertebral centrum and obtained the value of 0.9-1.3 in most centra among three species. This indicates that the examined species belong to the equivalent type of the relative growth pattern of vertebral centra. The hard tissue was observed by microradiography, with the longitudinal and cross sections (about 100 μm) cut through the center of notochordal pore. The major centra of the vertebral column were composed of characteristic simple structure like a cross, when seen in the microradiographs of cross sections. Microradiographs indicated that the bone has complicated canals with minute spaces like the bone cavities

  9. The influence of freezing and tissue porosity on the material properties of vegetable tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ralfs, Julie D.

    2002-01-01

    Tissue porosity and fluid flow have been shown to be important parameters affecting the mechanical and sensorial behaviour of edible plant tissues. The quantity of fluid and the manner with which it was released on compression of the plant tissue were also important regarding the sensory perception and a good indication of any structural damage resulting from freezing, for example. Potato, carrot and Chinese water chestnut were used to study the effects freezing has on model plant tissues. Mechanical and structural measurements of the plant tissue were correlated with sensory analysis. Conventional freezing was shown to cause severe structural damage predominantly in the form of cavities between or through cells, resulting in decreases in mechanical strength and stiffness, and samples that were perceived in the mouth as 'soft' and 'wet'. The location and size of the cavities formed from ice crystals, depended on the particular plant tissue being frozen, the processing it was subjected to prior to freezing, the size of the sample and the cooling regime employed to freeze the tissue. Cavitation in the tissue resulted in an increase in tissue porosity, which enabled fluid to flow more easily from the tissue on compression, thus affecting the mechanical properties and sensory perception. Freezing damage to plant tissues was shown to be reduced, and sometimes prevented, when active antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were introduced into the tissues by vacuum infiltration or transformation and the tissue was frozen at a suitable cooling rate. Theoretical modelling was applied to the fluid flow and porosity data to test the validity of the models and to subsequently predict the mechanical behaviour of potato from the structural properties of the tissue. (author)

  10. Refractive indices of human skin tissues at eight wavelengths and estimated dispersion relations between 300 and 1600 nm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding Huafeng; Lu, Jun Q; Wooden, William A; Kragel, Peter J; Hu Xinhua

    2006-01-01

    The refractive index of human skin tissues is an important parameter in characterizing the optical response of the skin. We extended a previously developed method of coherent reflectance curve measurement to determine the in vitro values of the complex refractive indices of epidermal and dermal tissues from fresh human skin samples at eight wavelengths between 325 and 1557 nm. Based on these results, dispersion relations of the real refractive index have been obtained and compared in the same spectral region

  11. Relations between vegetation and water level in groundwater dependent terrestrial ecosystems (GWDTEs)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Munch Johansen, Ole; Andersen, Dagmar Kappel; Ejrnæs, Rasmus

    2018-01-01

    , management and conservation of fens are constrained by limited knowledge on the relations between vegetation and measurable hydrological conditions. This study investigates the relations between vegetation and water level dynamics in groundwater dependent wetlands in Denmark. A total of 35 wetland sites...... across Denmark were included in the study. The sites represent a continuum of wetlands with respect to vegetation and hydrological conditions. Water level was measured continuously using pressure transducers at each site. Metrics expressing different hydrological characteristics, such as mean water level...... and low and high water level periods, were calculated based on the water level time series. A complete plant species list was recorded in plots covering 78.5 m2 at each site. Community metrics such as total number of species and the number of bryophytes were generated from the species lists and Ellenberg...

  12. Evaluating relative contribution of osmotolerance and tissue tolerance mechanisms toward salinity stress tolerance in three Brassica species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Koushik; Bose, Jayakumar; Shabala, Lana; Eyles, Alieta; Shabala, Sergey

    2016-10-01

    Three different species of Brassica, with differential salt sensitivity were used to understand physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance operating in these species and to evaluate the relative contribution of different strategies to cope with salt load. Brassica napus was the most tolerant species in terms of the overall performance, with Brassica juncea and Brassica oleracea being much more sensitive to salt stress with no obvious difference between them. While prominent reduction in net CO2 assimilation was observed in both sensitive species, physiological mechanisms beyond this reduction differed strongly. Brassica juncea plants possessed high osmotolerance and were able to maintain high transpiration rate but showed a significant reduction in leaf chlorophyll content and efficiency of leaf photochemistry. On the contrary, B. oleracea plants possessed the highest (among the three species) tissue tolerance but showed a very significant stomatal limitation of photosynthesis. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that the high tissue tolerance in B. oleracea was related to the ability of leaf mesophyll cells to maintain highly negative membrane potential in the presence of high apoplastic Na(+) . In addition to high osmotolerance, the most tolerant B. napus showed also lesser accumulation of toxic Na(+) and Cl(-) in the leaf, possessed moderate tissue tolerance and had a superior K(+) retention ability. Taken together, the results from this study indicate that the three Brassica species employ very different mechanisms to cope with salinity and, despite its overall sensitivity to salinity, B. oleracea could be recommended as a valuable 'donor' of tissue tolerance genes to confer this trait for marker-assisted breeding programs. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  13. Concentrations of metallic elements in kidney, liver, and lung tissue of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus from coastal waters of Zanzibar, Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mapunda, Edgar C; Othman, Othman C; Akwilapo, Leonard D; Bouwman, Hindrik; Mwevura, Haji

    2017-09-15

    Concentrations of metallic elements in kidney, liver and lung tissues of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins Tursiops aduncus from coastal waters of Zanzibar were determined using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectroscopy. Cadmium, chromium, copper, and zinc were quantifiable in all tissues at concentration ranges of 0.10-150, 0.08-3.2, 1.1-88 and 14-210μg/g dry mass, respectively. Copper and zinc was significantly higher in liver, and females had significantly higher Cd in liver, and chromium in lung. Generally, T. aduncus dolphins from coastal waters around Zanzibar carry low concentrations of metals compared with dolphins from other areas. Cadmium increased significantly with age in kidney and lung. Copper decreased significantly with age in liver, probably due to foetal metallothionein. This study supplied baseline data against which future trends in marine mammals in the Indian Ocean, the world's third largest, can be assessed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Seasonal patterns of bole water content in old growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Large, old conifer trees in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA purportedly ameliorate the effects of seasonal summer drought by drawing down the water content of bole tissues over the summer months and refilling during the winter. Continuous monitoring of bole relative water conten...

  15. Effect of cooking on enrofloxacin residues in chicken tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lolo, M; Pedreira, S; Miranda, J M; Vázquez, B I; Franco, C M; Cepeda, A; Fente, C

    2006-10-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different cooking processes (microwaving, roasting, boiling, grilling and frying) on naturally incurred enrofloxacin residues in chicken muscle. Enrofloxacin and its metabolite, ciprofloxacin, were analysed using a validated LC-MS method with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), respectively, of 2 and 5 ng g-1 quinolones in muscle samples. The method was shown to be linear over the range 5-500 ng g-1. Mean intra-day relative standard deviation (RSD) at a concentration of 50 ng g-1 (n = 6) was 6%; inter-day RSD was 12%. A recovery study demonstrated that 65-101%, of the drug and metabolite could be recovered from the tissue. The RSD with naturally incurred roasted chicken breast was 9.18% at a concentration of 11 +/- 1.01 ng g-1 (n = 6). In water, enrofloxacin remained stable for 3 h when heated at 100 degrees C. It was concluded that residue data from raw tissue are valid for estimation of consumer exposure to this drug, as well as the ADI calculations because cooking procedures did not affect enrofloxacin residues, which remained stable during heating. However, there was an apparent decrease in quinolone concentration in tissue because some was lost by exudation into the liquid used for cooking. Conversely, for a cooking procedure with water loss, there was an apparent increase in residue concentration.

  16. Testing constitutive relations by running and walking on cornstarch and water suspensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukhopadhyay, Shomeek; Allen, Benjamin; Brown, Eric

    2018-05-01

    The ability of a person to run on the surface of a suspension of cornstarch and water has fascinated scientists and the public alike. However, the constitutive relation obtained from traditional steady-state rheology of cornstarch and water suspensions has failed to explain this behavior. In another paper we presented an averaged constitutive relation for impact rheology consisting of an effective compressive modulus of a system-spanning dynamically jammed structure [R. Maharjan et al., this issue, Phys. Rev. E 97, 052602 (2018), 10.1103/PhysRevE.97.052602]. Here we show that this constitutive model can be used to quantitatively predict, for example, the trajectory and penetration depth of the foot of a person walking or running on cornstarch and water. The ability of the constitutive relation to predict the material behavior in a case with different forcing conditions and flow geometry than it was obtained from suggests that the constitutive relation could be applied more generally. We also present a detailed calculation of the added mass effect to show that while it may be able to explain some cases of people running or walking on the surface of cornstarch and water for pool depths H >1.2 m and foot impact velocities VI>1.7 m/s, it cannot explain observations of people walking or running on the surface of cornstarch and water for smaller H or VI.

  17. Permeability of skin and oral mucosa to water and horseradish peroxidase as related to the thickness of the permeability barrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Squier, C.A.; Hall, B.K.

    1985-01-01

    The permeability of porcine skin and keratinized and nonkeratinized oral mucosa to tritium-labeled water and horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) was determined using perfusion chambers. Small blocks from each tissue were also incubated with HRPO and the extent of penetration visualized microscopically; this enabled measurements to be made of the thickness of the permeability barrier to this water-soluble tracer. Results obtained after inverting the oral mucosa in the chambers or adding metabolic inhibitors indicated that both compounds diffuse across the tissue. The permeability constants derived directly in the study showed that skin was less permeable than oral mucosa and that the floor of the mouth was significantly more permeable than all other regions. When these constants were normalized in terms of a standard permeability barrier thickness and the different tissues compared, the values obtained for skin were again less than those of the oral regions but, of these, the buccal mucosa was significantly higher. The difference in permeability between epidermis and keratinized oral epithelium may be due to differences in the volume density of membrane-coating granules known to exist between the tissues; differences between the oral mucosal regions may reflect differences in the nature of the intercellular barrier material

  18. Calcium and Strontium in Swedish Waters and Fish, and Accumulation of Strontium-90

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agnedal, P O

    1966-04-15

    The purpose of this study has been to investigate the correlation between calcium and strontium in fish in relation to the concentration of these elements in the water. An investigation of the uptake of strontium-90 has also been made and permissible levels of strontium-90 in the water is calculated based upon the uptake in fish muscle tissues. Lakes with calcium concentrations between 2 - 63 mg/l have been studied and samples from the Baltic coastal water are also included. Three fish species are studied, viz. pike (Esox lucius (L.)), perch (Perca fluviatilis (L.)) and roach (Leuciscus rutilus (L.)). Bones, muscle tissues and skin + scales have been analysed. Strontium-90 measurements have been made showing an increase in both water and fish. Calculations show that in water with about 2 mg Ca/l a 10-fold increase of the existing strontium-90 level might give strontium-90 concentrations in fish muscle tissues close to what is permissible. In lakes with calcium concentrations 20 - 40 mg/l the permissible levels for drinking water will be exceeded before the fish consumption would have to be restricted.

  19. Calcium and Strontium in Swedish Waters and Fish, and Accumulation of Strontium-90

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agnedal, P.O.

    1966-04-01

    The purpose of this study has been to investigate the correlation between calcium and strontium in fish in relation to the concentration of these elements in the water. An investigation of the uptake of strontium-90 has also been made and permissible levels of strontium-90 in the water is calculated based upon the uptake in fish muscle tissues. Lakes with calcium concentrations between 2 - 63 mg/l have been studied and samples from the Baltic coastal water are also included. Three fish species are studied, viz. pike (Esox lucius (L.)), perch (Perca fluviatilis (L.)) and roach (Leuciscus rutilus (L.)). Bones, muscle tissues and skin + scales have been analysed. Strontium-90 measurements have been made showing an increase in both water and fish. Calculations show that in water with about 2 mg Ca/l a 10-fold increase of the existing strontium-90 level might give strontium-90 concentrations in fish muscle tissues close to what is permissible. In lakes with calcium concentrations 20 - 40 mg/l the permissible levels for drinking water will be exceeded before the fish consumption would have to be restricted

  20. SU-E-T-409: Evaluation of Tissue Composition Effect On Dose Distribution in Radiotherapy with 6 MV Photon Beam of a Medical Linac

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghorbani, M; Tabatabaei, Z; Noghreiyan, A Vejdani [Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Meigooni, A Soleimani [Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate soft tissue composition effect on dose distribution for various soft tissues and various depths in radiotherapy with 6 MV photon beam of a medical linac. Methods: A phantom and Siemens Primus linear accelerator were simulated using MCNPX Monte Carlo code. In a homogeneous cubic phantom, six types of soft tissue and three types of tissue-equivalent materials were defined separately. The soft tissues were muscle (skeletal), adipose tissue, blood (whole), breast tissue, soft tissue (9-component) and soft tissue (4-component). The tissue-equivalent materials included: water, A-150 tissue-equivalent plastic and perspex. Photon dose relative to dose in 9-component soft tissue at various depths on the beam’s central axis was determined for the 6 MV photon beam. The relative dose was also calculated and compared for various MCNPX tallies including,F8, F6 and,F4. Results: The results of the relative photon dose in various materials relative to dose in 9-component soft tissue and using different tallies are reported in the form of tabulated data. Minor differences between dose distributions in various soft tissues and tissue-equivalent materials were observed. The results from F6 and F4 were practically the same but different with,F8 tally. Conclusion: Based on the calculations performed, the differences in dose distributions in various soft tissues and tissue-equivalent materials are minor but they could be corrected in radiotherapy calculations to upgrade the accuracy of the dosimetric calculations.

  1. Water relations in grassland and desert ecosystems exposed to elevated atmospheric CO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, J A; Pataki, D E; Körner, C; Clark, H; Del Grosso, S J; Grünzweig, J M; Knapp, A K; Mosier, A R; Newton, P C D; Niklaus, P A; Nippert, J B; Nowak, R S; Parton, W J; Polley, H W; Shaw, M R

    2004-06-01

    Atmospheric CO2 enrichment may stimulate plant growth directly through (1) enhanced photosynthesis or indirectly, through (2) reduced plant water consumption and hence slower soil moisture depletion, or the combination of both. Herein we describe gas exchange, plant biomass and species responses of five native or semi-native temperate and Mediterranean grasslands and three semi-arid systems to CO2 enrichment, with an emphasis on water relations. Increasing CO2 led to decreased leaf conductance for water vapor, improved plant water status, altered seasonal evapotranspiration dynamics, and in most cases, periodic increases in soil water content. The extent, timing and duration of these responses varied among ecosystems, species and years. Across the grasslands of the Kansas tallgrass prairie, Colorado shortgrass steppe and Swiss calcareous grassland, increases in aboveground biomass from CO2 enrichment were relatively greater in dry years. In contrast, CO2-induced aboveground biomass increases in the Texas C3/C4 grassland and the New Zealand pasture seemed little or only marginally influenced by yearly variation in soil water, while plant growth in the Mojave Desert was stimulated by CO2 in a relatively wet year. Mediterranean grasslands sometimes failed to respond to CO2-related increased late-season water, whereas semiarid Negev grassland assemblages profited. Vegetative and reproductive responses to CO2 were highly varied among species and ecosystems, and did not generally follow any predictable pattern in regard to functional groups. Results suggest that the indirect effects of CO2 on plant and soil water relations may contribute substantially to experimentally induced CO2-effects, and also reflect local humidity conditions. For landscape scale predictions, this analysis calls for a clear distinction between biomass responses due to direct CO2 effects on photosynthesis and those indirect CO2 effects via soil moisture as documented here.

  2. Expression analyses of human cleft palate tissue suggest a role for osteopontin and immune related factors in palatal development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, L.P.; Borup, R.; Vestergaard, J.

    2009-01-01

    . Moreover, selected differentially expressed genes were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, and by immunohistochemical staining of craniofacial tissue from human embryos. Osteopontin (SPP1) and other immune related genes were significantly higher expressed in palate tissue from patients with CLP compared to CP...... and palate (CLP). In order to understand the biological basis in these cleft lip and palate subgroups better we studied the expression profiles in human tissue from patients with CL/P. In each of the CL/P subgroups, samples were obtained from three patients and gene expression analysis was performed...... and immunostaining in palatal shelves against SPP1, chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and serglycin (PRG1) in human embryonic craniofacial tissue were positive, supporting a role for these genes in palatal development. However, gene expression profiles are subject to variations during growth and therefore we recommend...

  3. The influence of freezing and tissue porosity on the material properties of vegetable tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ralfs, Julie D

    2002-07-01

    Tissue porosity and fluid flow have been shown to be important parameters affecting the mechanical and sensorial behaviour of edible plant tissues. The quantity of fluid and the manner with which it was released on compression of the plant tissue were also important regarding the sensory perception and a good indication of any structural damage resulting from freezing, for example. Potato, carrot and Chinese water chestnut were used to study the effects freezing has on model plant tissues. Mechanical and structural measurements of the plant tissue were correlated with sensory analysis. Conventional freezing was shown to cause severe structural damage predominantly in the form of cavities between or through cells, resulting in decreases in mechanical strength and stiffness, and samples that were perceived in the mouth as 'soft' and 'wet'. The location and size of the cavities formed from ice crystals, depended on the particular plant tissue being frozen, the processing it was subjected to prior to freezing, the size of the sample and the cooling regime employed to freeze the tissue. Cavitation in the tissue resulted in an increase in tissue porosity, which enabled fluid to flow more easily from the tissue on compression, thus affecting the mechanical properties and sensory perception. Freezing damage to plant tissues was shown to be reduced, and sometimes prevented, when active antifreeze proteins (AFPs) were introduced into the tissues by vacuum infiltration or transformation and the tissue was frozen at a suitable cooling rate. Theoretical modelling was applied to the fluid flow and porosity data to test the validity of the models and to subsequently predict the mechanical behaviour of potato from the structural properties of the tissue. (author)

  4. Estimating the Relative Water Content of Single Leaves from Optical Polarization Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderbilt, Vern; Daughtry, Craig; Dahlgren, Robert

    2016-01-01

    Remotely sensing the water status of plants and the water content of canopies remain long-term goals of remote sensing research. For monitoring canopy water status, existing approaches such as the Crop Water Stress Index and the Equivalent Water Thickness have limitations. The CWSI does not work well in humid regions, requires estimates of the vapor pressure deficit near the canopy during the remote sensing over-flight and, once stomata close, provides little information regarding the canopy water status. The EWI is based upon the physics of water-light interaction, not plant physiology. In this research, we applied optical polarization techniques to monitor the VISNIR light reflected from the leaf interior, R, as well as the leaf transmittance, T, as the relative water content (RWC) of corn (Zea mays) leaves decreased. Our results show that R and T both changed nonlinearly as each leaf dried, R increasing and T decreasing. Our results tie changes in the VISNIR R and T to leaf physiological changes linking the light scattered out of the drying leaf interior to its relative water content and to changes in leaf cellular structure and pigments. Our results suggest remotely sensing the physiological water status of a single leaf and perhaps of a plant canopy might be possible in the future. However, using our approach to estimate the water status of a leaf does not appear possible at present, because our results display too much variability that we do not yet understand.

  5. Tissue dielectric constant and circumference measurement in the follow-up of treatment-related changes in lower-limb lymphedema.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tugral, Alper; Viren, Tuomas; Bakar, Yesim

    2018-02-01

    Lymphedema of lower limbs is a chronic condition that requires life-long management. Therapeutic effect of complex decongestive physiotherapy (CDP) is most often followed by circumference measurements (CM). However, the CM measurements are not specific to interstitial tissue fluid and have problems in sensitivity and objectivity. The aim of present study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of CDP with a new tissue water specific measurement technique, in patients with lower limb lymphedema (LLL). A total of 17 patients with unilateral LLL (11 primary, 6 secondary lymphedema) were recruited in this study. CDP was applied for 5 days a week for 4 weeks. CM measurement of both limbs was performed at nine sites along limb by tape measure. Percentage skin water content (PWC) of thigh, calf and ankle was measured in affected lymphedema limb and contralateral limb with MoistureMeterD Compact (MMDC) device. Inter-limb PWC ratio was calculated by dividing affected side's PWC value with PWC of contralateral limb. Patients were asked to fullfill the Lymph Quality of Life Questionnaire. Significant reduction of circumference after CDP was detected at all nine measurement sites along lower limb (Pwater at thigh, calf and ankle measurement sites after CDP (Plimb PWC ratios demonstrated significant reduction of edema between affected and contraletral limbs post-treatment (Plimb PWC ratios were meaningful tools to follow the effect of therapautic intervention. Compared with CM measurements the TDC technique offered easier, quicker, objective and more practical measurements for routine assessments of LLL.

  6. Study of the comparative dynamics of the incorporation of tissue free-water tritium (TFWT) in bulrushes (Typha latifolia) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the Almaraz nuclear power plant cooling reservoir

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baeza, A. [Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, Avda de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Caceres (Spain)], E-mail: ymiralle@unex.es; Garcia, E. [Department of Applied Physics, Technical Forest Engineering School, University of Extremadura, 10600 (Plasencia) Caceres (Spain); Paniagua, J.M. [Department of Applied Physics, Polytechnic School, University of Extremadura, Avda de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Caceres (Spain); Rodriguez, A. [Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, Avda de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Caceres (Spain)

    2009-03-15

    The Almaraz nuclear power plant (Spain) uses the water of Arrocampo reservoir for cooling, and consequently raises the radioactive levels of the aquatic ecosystem of this reservoir. From July 2002 to June 2005, monthly samples of surface water, bulrushes (Typha latifolia) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) were collected from this reservoir. They were analyzed to determine the temporal evolution of the levels of {sup 3}H in surface water and of its transfer from the surface water to free-water in the tissues (TFWT) of the aforementioned two organisms. The tritium levels in the surface water oscillate with a biannual period, with their values in the study period ranging between 53 and 433 Bq/L. The incorporation of tritium to bulrushes and carp was fairly similar, the respective mean concentration factors being 0.74 and 0.8 (unitless, as Bq/L tissue water per Bq/L reservoir water). The temporal evolution of the levels fairly closely followed that observed for the surface water tritium, although detailed analysis showed the dominant periodicity for the bulrushes to be annual. This difference reflects the influence on the incorporation of tritium to bulrushes of diverse environmental and metabolic factors, especially evapotranspiration and the seasonal growth of this plant.

  7. Study of the comparative dynamics of the incorporation of tissue free-water tritium (TFWT) in bulrushes (Typha latifolia) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the Almaraz nuclear power plant cooling reservoir

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baeza, A.; Garcia, E.; Paniagua, J.M.; Rodriguez, A.

    2009-01-01

    The Almaraz nuclear power plant (Spain) uses the water of Arrocampo reservoir for cooling, and consequently raises the radioactive levels of the aquatic ecosystem of this reservoir. From July 2002 to June 2005, monthly samples of surface water, bulrushes (Typha latifolia) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) were collected from this reservoir. They were analyzed to determine the temporal evolution of the levels of 3 H in surface water and of its transfer from the surface water to free-water in the tissues (TFWT) of the aforementioned two organisms. The tritium levels in the surface water oscillate with a biannual period, with their values in the study period ranging between 53 and 433 Bq/L. The incorporation of tritium to bulrushes and carp was fairly similar, the respective mean concentration factors being 0.74 and 0.8 (unitless, as Bq/L tissue water per Bq/L reservoir water). The temporal evolution of the levels fairly closely followed that observed for the surface water tritium, although detailed analysis showed the dominant periodicity for the bulrushes to be annual. This difference reflects the influence on the incorporation of tritium to bulrushes of diverse environmental and metabolic factors, especially evapotranspiration and the seasonal growth of this plant

  8. Seasonal and Water Column Trends of the Relative Role of Nitrate and Nitrite as ·OH Sources in Surface Waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vione, D.; Minero, C.; Maurino, V.; Pelizzetti, E.

    2007-01-01

    Based on literature data of sunlight spectrum, photolysis quantum yields, and absorption spectra, the relative role of nitrite and nitrate as ·OH sources in surface waters was assessed, and its dependence on the season and the depth of the water column studied. In the majority of surface water samples (river, lake and seawater) nitrite is expected to play a more important role as ·OH source compared to nitrate, in spite of the usually lower [NO 2 - ] values. Interestingly, under the hypothesis of a constant ratio of the concentrations of nitrate and nitrite (to be corrected later on for the actual concentration ratio in a given sample), the relative role of nitrite compared to nitrate would be minimum in summer, at noon, in the surface layer of natural waters. Any decrease in the sunlight intensity that can be experienced in the natural environment (different season than summer, water column absorption, time of the day other than the solar noon), with its associated influence on the sunlight spectrum, would increase the relative role of nitrite compared to nitrate

  9. Peach water relations, gas exchange, growth and shoot mortality under water deficit in semi-arid weather conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahmati, Mitra; Davarynejad, Gholam Hossein; Génard, Michel; Bannayan, Mohammad; Azizi, Majid; Vercambre, Gilles

    2015-01-01

    In this study the sensitivity of peach tree (Prunus persica L.) to three water stress levels from mid-pit hardening until harvest was assessed. Seasonal patterns of shoot and fruit growth, gas exchange (leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration) as well as carbon (C) storage/mobilization were evaluated in relation to plant water status. A simple C balance model was also developed to investigate sink-source relationship in relation to plant water status at the tree level. The C source was estimated through the leaf area dynamics and leaf photosynthesis rate along the season. The C sink was estimated for maintenance respiration and growth of shoots and fruits. Water stress significantly reduced gas exchange, and fruit, and shoot growth, but increased fruit dry matter concentration. Growth was more affected by water deficit than photosynthesis, and shoot growth was more sensitive to water deficit than fruit growth. Reduction of shoot growth was associated with a decrease of shoot elongation, emergence, and high shoot mortality. Water scarcity affected tree C assimilation due to two interacting factors: (i) reduction in leaf photosynthesis (-23% and -50% under moderate (MS) and severe (SS) water stress compared to low (LS) stress during growth season) and (ii) reduction in total leaf area (-57% and -79% under MS and SS compared to LS at harvest). Our field data analysis suggested a Ψstem threshold of -1.5 MPa below which daily net C gain became negative, i.e. C assimilation became lower than C needed for respiration and growth. Negative C balance under MS and SS associated with decline of trunk carbohydrate reserves--may have led to drought-induced vegetative mortality.

  10. Relative shrinkage of adipocytes by paraffin in proportion to plastic embedding in human adipose tissue before and after weight loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verhoef, Sanne P M; van Dijk, Paul; Westerterp, Klaas R

    2013-01-01

    Adipocyte size is a major modulator of endocrine functioning of adipose tissue and methods allowing accurate determination of adipocyte size are important to study energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to assess the relative shrinkage of adipocytes before and after weight loss by comparing adipose tissue from the same subjects embedded in paraffin and plastic. 18 healthy subjects (5 males and 13 females) aged 20-50 y with a BMI of 28-38 kg/m² followed a very low energy diet for 8 weeks. Adipose tissue biopsies were taken prior to and after weight loss and were processed for paraffin and plastic sections. Parameters of adipocyte size were determined with computer image analysis. Mean adipocyte size was smaller in paraffin compared to plastic embedded tissue both before (66 ± 4 vs. 103 ± 5 μm, P paraffin embedded tissue in proportion to plastic embedded tissue was not significantly different before and after weight loss (73 and 69%, respectively). Shrinkage due to the type of embedding of the adipose tissue can be ignored when comparing before and after weight loss. Plastic embedding of adipose tissue provides more accurate and sensitive results. © 2013 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity . Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals for localization in target tissues exhibiting a regional pH shift relative to surrounding tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blau, M.; Kung, H.F.

    1985-01-01

    Diagnostic radiopharmaceutical compounds are provided which are capable of entering a target tissue or a target organ by passive diffusion through cell walls and which are effectively accumulated and retained within the target tissue or organ due to a regional pH shift. Such compounds are desirably readily accessible synthetically using readily available radionuclides. The compound comprises a radioactive isotope of an element in chemical combination with at least one amine group and preferably with at least two secondary or tertiary amine groups. The radioactive element is an element other than iodine emitting gamma ray, x-ray or positron radiation. When the element is a gamma ray emitting isotope, at least 75 percent of the number of emissions is emitted at energies of between 80 and 400 keV. The half-life of the isotope is usually between two minutes and 15 days. The compound has acid-base characteristics such that the state of ionization of the compound at the pH of the body is significantly different and usually less than its state of ionization at the intracellular pH of the target tissue. The compound has such lipid solubility characteristics that it is capable of ready penetration through cell walls, but within cells its lipid solubility is substantially decreased, whereby the ability of the compound to leave the target tissue is substantially diminished. Specific data relevant to di-beta-(piperidinoethyl)-selenide and di-beta-(morpholinoethyl)-selenide in rat brains are presented

  12. An automated method for mapping human tissue permittivities by MRI in hyperthermia treatment planning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farace, Paolo; Antolini, Renzo [CMBM-ITC, Centro Materiali e Biofisica Medica, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita di Trento, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Pontalti, Rolando; Cristoforetti, Luca [CMBM-ITC, Centro Materiali e Biofisica Medica, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Scarpa, Marina [Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita di Trento, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy)

    1997-11-01

    This paper presents an automatic method to obtain tissue complex permittivity values to be used as input data in the computer modelling for hyperthermia treatment planning. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired and the tissue water content was calculated from the signal intensity of the image pixels. The tissue water content was converted into complex permittivity values by monotonic functions based on mixture theory. To obtain a water content map by MR imaging a gradient-echo pulse sequence was used and an experimental procedure was set up to correct for relaxation and radiofrequency field inhomogeneity effects on signal intensity. Two approaches were followed to assign the permittivity values to fat-rich tissues: (i) fat-rich tissue localization by a segmentation procedure followed by assignment of tabulated permittivity values; (ii) water content evaluation by chemical shift imaging followed by permittivity calculation. Tests were performed on phantoms of known water content to establish the reliability of the proposed method. MRI data were acquired and processed pixel-by-pixel according to the outlined procedure. The signal intensity in the phantom images correlated well with water content. Experiments were performed on volunteers' healthy tissue. In particular two anatomical structures were chosen to calculate permittivity maps: the head and the thigh. The water content and electric permittivity values were obtained from the MRI data and compared to others in the literature. A good agreement was found for muscle, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and white and grey matter. The advantages of the reported method are discussed in the light of possible application in hyperthermia treatment planning. (author)

  13. An automated method for mapping human tissue permittivities by MRI in hyperthermia treatment planning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farace, Paolo; Antolini, Renzo; Pontalti, Rolando; Cristoforetti, Luca; Scarpa, Marina

    1997-01-01

    This paper presents an automatic method to obtain tissue complex permittivity values to be used as input data in the computer modelling for hyperthermia treatment planning. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired and the tissue water content was calculated from the signal intensity of the image pixels. The tissue water content was converted into complex permittivity values by monotonic functions based on mixture theory. To obtain a water content map by MR imaging a gradient-echo pulse sequence was used and an experimental procedure was set up to correct for relaxation and radiofrequency field inhomogeneity effects on signal intensity. Two approaches were followed to assign the permittivity values to fat-rich tissues: (i) fat-rich tissue localization by a segmentation procedure followed by assignment of tabulated permittivity values; (ii) water content evaluation by chemical shift imaging followed by permittivity calculation. Tests were performed on phantoms of known water content to establish the reliability of the proposed method. MRI data were acquired and processed pixel-by-pixel according to the outlined procedure. The signal intensity in the phantom images correlated well with water content. Experiments were performed on volunteers' healthy tissue. In particular two anatomical structures were chosen to calculate permittivity maps: the head and the thigh. The water content and electric permittivity values were obtained from the MRI data and compared to others in the literature. A good agreement was found for muscle, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and white and grey matter. The advantages of the reported method are discussed in the light of possible application in hyperthermia treatment planning. (author)

  14. An automated method for mapping human tissue permittivities by MRI in hyperthermia treatment planning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farace, P; Pontalti, R; Cristoforetti, L; Antolini, R; Scarpa, M

    1997-11-01

    This paper presents an automatic method to obtain tissue complex permittivity values to be used as input data in the computer modelling for hyperthermia treatment planning. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired and the tissue water content was calculated from the signal intensity of the image pixels. The tissue water content was converted into complex permittivity values by monotonic functions based on mixture theory. To obtain a water content map by MR imaging a gradient-echo pulse sequence was used and an experimental procedure was set up to correct for relaxation and radiofrequency field inhomogeneity effects on signal intensity. Two approaches were followed to assign the permittivity values to fat-rich tissues: (i) fat-rich tissue localization by a segmentation procedure followed by assignment of tabulated permittivity values; (ii) water content evaluation by chemical shift imaging followed by permittivity calculation. Tests were performed on phantoms of known water content to establish the reliability of the proposed method. MRI data were acquired and processed pixel-by-pixel according to the outlined procedure. The signal intensity in the phantom images correlated well with water content. Experiments were performed on volunteers' healthy tissue. In particular two anatomical structures were chosen to calculate permittivity maps: the head and the thigh. The water content and electric permittivity values were obtained from the MRI data and compared to others in the literature. A good agreement was found for muscle, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and white and grey matter. The advantages of the reported method are discussed in the light of possible application in hyperthermia treatment planning.

  15. An automated method for mapping human tissue permittivities by MRI in hyperthermia treatment planning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Farace, Paolo; Antolini, Renzo [CMBM-ITC, Centro Materiali e Biofisica Medica, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita di Trento, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Pontalti, Rolando; Cristoforetti, Luca [CMBM-ITC, Centro Materiali e Biofisica Medica, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Scarpa, Marina [Dipartimento di Fisica and INFM, Universita di Trento, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy)

    1997-11-01

    This paper presents an automatic method to obtain tissue complex permittivity values to be used as input data in the computer modelling for hyperthermia treatment planning. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired and the tissue water content was calculated from the signal intensity of the image pixels. The tissue water content was converted into complex permittivity values by monotonic functions based on mixture theory. To obtain a water content map by MR imaging a gradient-echo pulse sequence was used and an experimental procedure was set up to correct for relaxation and radiofrequency field inhomogeneity effects on signal intensity. Two approaches were followed to assign the permittivity values to fat-rich tissues: (i) fat-rich tissue localization by a segmentation procedure followed by assignment of tabulated permittivity values; (ii) water content evaluation by chemical shift imaging followed by permittivity calculation. Tests were performed on phantoms of known water content to establish the reliability of the proposed method. MRI data were acquired and processed pixel-by-pixel according to the outlined procedure. The signal intensity in the phantom images correlated well with water content. Experiments were performed on volunteers' healthy tissue. In particular two anatomical structures were chosen to calculate permittivity maps: the head and the thigh. The water content and electric permittivity values were obtained from the MRI data and compared to others in the literature. A good agreement was found for muscle, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and white and grey matter. The advantages of the reported method are discussed in the light of possible application in hyperthermia treatment planning. (author)

  16. Environmental conditions influence tissue regeneration rates in scleractinian corals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabine, Alexis M; Smith, Tyler B; Williams, Dana E; Brandt, Marilyn E

    2015-06-15

    Natural and anthropogenic factors may influence corals' ability to recover from partial mortality. To examine how environmental conditions affect lesion healing, we assessed several water quality parameters and tissue regeneration rates in corals at six reefs around St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. We hypothesized that sites closer to developed areas would have poor water quality due to proximity to anthropogenic stresses, which would impede tissue regeneration. We found that water flow and turbidity most strongly influenced lesion recovery rates. The most impacted site, with high turbidity and low flow, recovered almost three times slower than the least impacted site, with low turbidity, high flow, and low levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Our results illustrate that in addition to lesion-specific factors known to affect tissue regeneration, environmental conditions can also control corals' healing rates. Resource managers can use this information to protect low-flow, turbid nearshore reefs by minimizing sources of anthropogenic stress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 78 FR 18562 - Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-27

    ... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water... the Army to revise the ``Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related... Army to revise the ``Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land...

  18. Quantization of liver tissue in dual kVp computed tomography using linear discriminant analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tkaczyk, J. Eric; Langan, David; Wu, Xiaoye; Xu, Daniel; Benson, Thomas; Pack, Jed D.; Schmitz, Andrea; Hara, Amy; Palicek, William; Licato, Paul; Leverentz, Jaynne

    2009-02-01

    Linear discriminate analysis (LDA) is applied to dual kVp CT and used for tissue characterization. The potential to quantitatively model both malignant and benign, hypo-intense liver lesions is evaluated by analysis of portal-phase, intravenous CT scan data obtained on human patients. Masses with an a priori classification are mapped to a distribution of points in basis material space. The degree of localization of tissue types in the material basis space is related to both quantum noise and real compositional differences. The density maps are analyzed with LDA and studied with system simulations to differentiate these factors. The discriminant analysis is formulated so as to incorporate the known statistical properties of the data. Effective kVp separation and mAs relates to precision of tissue localization. Bias in the material position is related to the degree of X-ray scatter and partial-volume effect. Experimental data and simulations demonstrate that for single energy (HU) imaging or image-based decomposition pixel values of water-like tissues depend on proximity to other iodine-filled bodies. Beam-hardening errors cause a shift in image value on the scale of that difference sought between in cancerous and cystic lessons. In contrast, projection-based decomposition or its equivalent when implemented on a carefully calibrated system can provide accurate data. On such a system, LDA may provide novel quantitative capabilities for tissue characterization in dual energy CT.

  19. Neutral tissue uptake and clearance of iohexol following lumbar myelography in rabbits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ekholm, S.E.; Foley, M.; Morris, T.W.; Sahler, L.

    1985-01-01

    The diffusion of water-soluble contrast media (CM) into the extracellular space of the central nervous system following injection into the subarachnoid space has previously been shown. As a result of this, water-soluble CM will come in direct contact with the neurons and may interfere with their normal function. The toxic effects would thus be a result both of the molecular properties of the CM as well as the local tissue concentration. The neuronal tissue uptake and clearance of metrizamide in rabbits following lumbar myelography was described in a previous study by our group. This study indicated some retention of metrizamide in the spinal cord probably as a result of binding of the CM to the cell membrane. The mechanism for this has not yet been shown although it may relate to the binding of metrizamide via its 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) portion and the specific glucose membrane carrier. The present investigation was performed to evaluate the diffusion kinetics of a new non-ionic CM. With iohexol, which lacks a 2-DG component in its molecule a direct relationship between the neural tissue and CSF concentration was found which seems to follow a simple diffusion model. Since iohexol shows no sign of entrapment in the tissue, the contact time for neurons will be shorter than that seen with metrizamide assuming that their rate of drainage from the SCF is identical. (orig.)

  20. Measurement of rates of cholesterol synthesis using tritiated water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dietschy, J.M.; Spady, D.K.

    1984-01-01

    Rates of sterol synthesis in various tissues commonly are assessed by assaying levels of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase on isolated microsomes or by measuring the rates of incorporation of various 14 C-labeled substrates or [ 3 H]water into cholesterol by whole cell preparations in vitro or by the tissues of the whole animal in vivo. While measurement of activities of HMG-CoA reductase or rates of incorporation of 14 C-labeled substrates into cholesterol give useful relative rates of sterol production, neither method yields absolute rates of cholesterol synthesis. The use of [ 3 H]water circumvents the problem of variable and unknown dilution of the specific activity of the precursor pool encountered when 14 C-labeled substrates are used and does yield absolute rates of cholesterol synthesis provided that the 3 H/C incorporation ratio is known for a particular tissue. In 12 different experimental situations it has been found that from 21 to 27 micrograms atoms of 3 H are incorporated into cholesterol from [ 3 H]water in different tissues of several animal species, so that the 3 H/C incorporation ratio is similar under nearly all experimental conditions and varies from 0.78 to 1.00. When administered in vivo, [ 3 H]water rapidly equilibrates with intracellular water and is incorporated into sterols within the various organs at rates that are linear with respect to time. From such data it is possible to obtain absolute rates of cholesterol synthesis in the whole animal and in the various organs of the animal. Current data suggest, therefore, that use of [ 3 H]water yields the most accurate rates of cholesterol synthesis both in vitro and in vivo

  1. The extracellular matrix: Structure, composition, age-related differences, tools for analysis and applications for tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kular, Jaspreet K; Basu, Shouvik; Sharma, Ram I

    2014-01-01

    The extracellular matrix is a structural support network made up of diverse proteins, sugars and other components. It influences a wide number of cellular processes including migration, wound healing and differentiation, all of which is of particular interest to researchers in the field of tissue engineering. Understanding the composition and structure of the extracellular matrix will aid in exploring the ways the extracellular matrix can be utilised in tissue engineering applications especially as a scaffold. This review summarises the current knowledge of the composition, structure and functions of the extracellular matrix and introduces the effect of ageing on extracellular matrix remodelling and its contribution to cellular functions. Additionally, the current analytical technologies to study the extracellular matrix and extracellular matrix-related cellular processes are also reviewed.

  2. Novel technique for online characterization of cartilaginous tissue properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Tai-Yi; Huang, Chun-Yuh; Yong Gu, Wei

    2011-09-01

    The goal of tissue engineering is to use substitutes to repair and restore organ function. Bioreactors are an indispensable tool for monitoring and controlling the unique environment for engineered constructs to grow. However, in order to determine the biochemical properties of engineered constructs, samples need to be destroyed. In this study, we developed a novel technique to nondestructively online-characterize the water content and fixed charge density of cartilaginous tissues. A new technique was developed to determine the tissue mechano-electrochemical properties nondestructively. Bovine knee articular cartilage and lumbar annulus fibrosus were used in this study to demonstrate that this technique could be used on different types of tissue. The results show that our newly developed method is capable of precisely predicting the water volume fraction (less than 3% disparity) and fixed charge density (less than 16.7% disparity) within cartilaginous tissues. This novel technique will help to design a new generation of bioreactors which are able to actively determine the essential properties of the engineered constructs, as well as regulate the local environment to achieve the optimal conditions for cultivating constructs.

  3. Water use benefit index as a tool for community-based monitoring of water related trends in the Great Barrier Reef region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smajgl, A.; Larson, S.; Hug, B.; De Freitas, D. M.

    2010-12-01

    SummaryThis paper presents a tool for documenting and monitoring water use benefits in the Great Barrier Reef catchments that allows temporal and spatial comparison along the region. Water, water use benefits and water allocations are currently receiving much attention from Australian policy makers and conservation practitioners. Because of the inherent complexity and variability in water quality, it is essential that scientific information is presented in a meaningful way to policy makers, managers and ultimately, to the general public who have to live with the consequences of the decisions. We developed an inexpensively populated and easily understandable water use benefit index as a tool for community-based monitoring of water related trends in the Great Barrier Reef region. The index is developed based on a comparative list of selected water-related indices integrating attributes across physico-chemical, economic, social, and ecological domains currently used in the assessment of water quality, water quantity and water use benefits in Australia. Our findings indicate that the proposed index allows the identification of water performance indicators by temporal and spatial comparisons. Benefits for decision makers and conservation practitioners include a flexible way of prioritization towards the domain with highest concern. The broader community benefits from a comprehensive and user-friendly tool, communicating changes in water quality trends more effectively.

  4. The properties of connective tissue membrane and pig skin as raw materials for cooked sausage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puolanne, E; Ruusunen, M

    1981-09-01

    Pig skin and epimysial membrane from young bulls were comminuted in a colloid grinder and mixed with water and additives. The resultant mixture was heated in a water bath to give an internal temperature of 72°C, and centrifuged while still hot. Such variations in the amount of water added, the salt content, the phosphate content and the pH value as are possible in cooked sausage heated to over 65°C during processing did not cause marked changes in the amount of water bound by the connective tissues, the amount of dissolved protein or the gel strength of the liquid released from the connective tissues. As the temperature rose the amount of bound water dropped, but the amount of dissolved protein and the gel strength increased. The liquid released from the connective tissue membranes formed a gel at 32°C and re-melted at 49°C. For pig skin, the corresponding temperatures were 23°C and 47°C. On the basis of this study it appears that connective tissue may be important for the water-binding capacity and firmness of cold sausage. The connective tissue membranes obtained from young bulls and pig skin are of roughly equal value in this respect, although the gel formed from connective tissue membrane is tougher. Copyright © 1981. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Validity and interobserver agreement of lower extremity local tissue water measurements in healthy women using tissue dielectric constant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Mads R; Birkballe, Susanne; Nørregaard, Susan

    2012-01-01

    Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measurement may become an important tool in the clinical evaluation of chronic lower extremity swelling in women; however, several factors are known to influence TDC measurements, and comparative data on healthy lower extremities are few.......Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) measurement may become an important tool in the clinical evaluation of chronic lower extremity swelling in women; however, several factors are known to influence TDC measurements, and comparative data on healthy lower extremities are few....

  6. Can net photosynthesis and water relations provide a clue on the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Net photosynthesis, sap flow density (SFD) and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured in a Quercus suber forest in north Tunisia in an attempt to explain the forest decline. In general, sap flow was positively related to light intensity and water loss, indicating that high light intensities can increase the SFD up to the ...

  7. Energy-Water-Land Nexus: The relative contributions of climate and human systems on global water scarcity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hejazi, M. I.; Chen, M.; Turner, S. W. D.; Graham, N. T.; Vernon, C. R.; Li, X.; Kim, S. H.; Link, R. P.

    2017-12-01

    There is a growing consensus that energy, water, and land systems are interconnected and should be analyzed as such. New tools are required to represent the interactions between population, economic growth, energy, land, and water resources in a dynamically evolving system. Here we use the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM) to investigate the relative contributions of climate and human systems on water scarcity regionally and globally under a wide range of scenarios. The model accounts for a variety of human activities, including changing demands for water for agriculture, power generation, industry, and public supply. We find that these activities exert a larger influence on water scarcity than climate in 93% of river basins globally. This work highlights the importance of accounting for human activities in hydrologic modeling applications and how they may change under different pathways of how land use and agricultural systems, energy systems, and economies may evolve in the future.

  8. Engineering Human Neural Tissue by 3D Bioprinting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Qi; Tomaskovic-Crook, Eva; Wallace, Gordon G; Crook, Jeremy M

    2018-01-01

    Bioprinting provides an opportunity to produce three-dimensional (3D) tissues for biomedical research and translational drug discovery, toxicology, and tissue replacement. Here we describe a method for fabricating human neural tissue by 3D printing human neural stem cells with a bioink, and subsequent gelation of the bioink for cell encapsulation, support, and differentiation to functional neurons and supporting neuroglia. The bioink uniquely comprises the polysaccharides alginate, water-soluble carboxymethyl-chitosan, and agarose. Importantly, the method could be adapted to fabricate neural and nonneural tissues from other cell types, with the potential to be applied for both research and clinical product development.

  9. Sugars from woody tissue photosynthesis reduce xylem vulnerability to cavitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Baerdemaeker, Niels J F; Salomón, Roberto Luis; De Roo, Linus; Steppe, Kathy

    2017-11-01

    Reassimilation of internal CO 2 via woody tissue photosynthesis has a substantial effect on tree carbon income and wood production. However, little is known about its role in xylem vulnerability to cavitation and its implications in drought-driven tree mortality. Young trees of Populus nigra were subjected to light exclusion at the branch and stem levels. After 40 d, measurements of xylem water potential, diameter variation and acoustic emission (AE) were performed in detached branches to obtain acoustic vulnerability curves to cavitation following bench-top dehydration. Acoustic vulnerability curves and derived AE 50 values (i.e. water potential at which 50% of cavitation-related acoustic emissions occur) differed significantly between light-excluded and control branches (AE 50,light-excluded  = -1.00 ± 0.13 MPa; AE 50,control  = -1.45 ± 0.09 MPa; P = 0.007) denoting higher vulnerability to cavitation in light-excluded trees. Woody tissue photosynthesis represents an alternative and immediate source of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) that confers lower xylem vulnerability to cavitation via sugar-mediated mechanisms. Embolism repair and xylem structural changes could not explain this observation as the amount of cumulative AE and basic wood density did not differ between treatments. We suggest that woody tissue assimilates might play a role in the synthesis of xylem surfactants for nanobubble stabilization under tension. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  10. Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wright, Thomas E; Tausz, Michael; Kasel, Sabine; Volkova, Liubov; Merchant, Andrew; Bennett, Lauren T

    2012-03-01

    While edge effects on tree water relations are well described for closed forests, they remain under-examined in more open forest types. Similarly, there has been minimal evaluation of the effects of contrasting land uses on the water relations of open forest types in highly fragmented landscapes. We examined edge effects on the water relations and gas exchange of a dominant tree (Eucalyptus arenacea Marginson & Ladiges) in an open forest type (temperate woodland) of south-eastern Australia. Edge effects in replicate woodlands adjoined by cleared agricultural land (pasture edges) were compared with those adjoined by 7- to 9-year-old eucalypt plantation with a 25m fire break (plantation edges). Consistent with studies in closed forest types, edge effects were pronounced at pasture edges where photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance were greater for edge trees than interior trees (75m into woodlands), and were related to greater light availability and significantly higher branch water potentials at woodland edges than interiors. Nonetheless, gas exchange values were only ∼50% greater for edge than interior trees, compared with ∼200% previously found in closed forest types. In contrast to woodlands adjoined by pasture, gas exchange in winter was significantly lower for edge than interior trees in woodlands adjoined by plantations, consistent with shading and buffering effects of plantations on edge microclimate. Plantation edge effects were less pronounced in summer, although higher water use efficiency of edge than interior woodland trees indicated possible competition for water between plantation trees and woodland edge trees in the drier months (an effect that might have been more pronounced were there no firebreak between the two land uses). Scaling up of leaf-level water relations to stand transpiration using a Jarvis-type phenomenological model indicated similar differences between edge types. That is, transpiration was greater at pasture than

  11. Visualization of root water uptake: quantification of deuterated water transport in roots using neutron radiography and numerical modeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarebanadkouki, Mohsen; Kroener, Eva; Kaestner, Anders; Carminati, Andrea

    2014-10-01

    Our understanding of soil and plant water relations is limited by the lack of experimental methods to measure water fluxes in soil and plants. Here, we describe a new method to noninvasively quantify water fluxes in roots. To this end, neutron radiography was used to trace the transport of deuterated water (D2O) into roots. The results showed that (1) the radial transport of D2O from soil to the roots depended similarly on diffusive and convective transport and (2) the axial transport of D2O along the root xylem was largely dominated by convection. To quantify the convective fluxes from the radiographs, we introduced a convection-diffusion model to simulate the D2O transport in roots. The model takes into account different pathways of water across the root tissue, the endodermis as a layer with distinct transport properties, and the axial transport of D2O in the xylem. The diffusion coefficients of the root tissues were inversely estimated by simulating the experiments at night under the assumption that the convective fluxes were negligible. Inverse modeling of the experiment at day gave the profile of water fluxes into the roots. For a 24-d-old lupine (Lupinus albus) grown in a soil with uniform water content, root water uptake was higher in the proximal parts of lateral roots and decreased toward the distal parts. The method allows the quantification of the root properties and the regions of root water uptake along the root systems. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  12. NGS Reveals Molecular Pathways Affected by Obesity and Weight Loss-Related Changes in miRNA Levels in Adipose Tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alina Kuryłowicz

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Both obesity and weight loss may cause molecular changes in adipose tissue. This study aimed to characterize changes in adipose tissue miRNome in order to identify molecular pathways affected by obesity and weight changes. Next generation sequencing (NGS was applied to identify microRNAs (miRNAs differentially expressed in 47 samples of visceral (VAT and subcutaneous (SAT adipose tissues from normal-weight (N, obese (O and obese after surgery-induced weight loss (PO individuals. Subsequently miRNA expression was validated by real-time PCR in 197 adipose tissues and bioinformatics analysis performed to identify molecular pathways affected by obesity-related changes in miRNA expression. NGS identified 344 miRNAs expressed in adipose tissues with ≥5 reads per million. Using >2 and <−2 fold change as cut-offs we showed that the expression of 54 miRNAs differed significantly between VAT-O and SAT-O. Equally, between SAT-O and SAT-N, the expression of 20 miRNAs differed significantly, between SAT-PO and SAT-N the expression of 79 miRNAs differed significantly, and between SAT-PO and SAT-O, the expression of 61 miRNAs differed significantly. Ontological analyses disclosed several molecular pathways regulated by these miRNAs in adipose tissue. NGS-based miRNome analysis characterized changes of the miRNA profile of adipose tissue, which are associated with changes of weight possibly responsible for a differential regulation of molecular pathways in adipose tissue when the individual is obese and after the individual has lost weight.

  13. Tissue-specific incorporation and genotoxicity of different forms of tritium in the marine mussel, Mytilus edulis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jaeschke, Benedict C., E-mail: ben@ecology.su.s [Ecotoxicology Research and Innovation Centre, School of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA (United Kingdom); Millward, Geoffrey E. [Consolidated Radio-isotope Facility, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA (United Kingdom); Moody, A. John; Jha, Awadhesh N. [Ecotoxicology Research and Innovation Centre, School of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA (United Kingdom)

    2011-01-15

    Marine mussels (Mytilus edulis) were exposed to seawater spiked with tritiated water (HTO) at a dose rate of 122 and 79 {mu}Gy h{sup -1} for 7 and 14 days, respectively, and tritiated glycine (T-Gly) at a dose rate of 4.9 {mu}Gy h{sup -1} over 7 days. This was followed by depuration in clean seawater for 21 days. Tissues (foot, gills, digestive gland, mantle, adductor muscle and byssus) and DNA extracts from tissues were analysed for their tritium activity concentrations. All tissues demonstrated bio-accumulation of tritium from HTO and T-Gly. Tritium from T-Gly showed increased incorporation into DNA compared to HTO. About 90% of the initial activity from HTO was depurated within one day, whereas T-Gly was depurated relatively slowly, indicating that tritium may be bound with different affinities in tissues. Both forms of tritium caused a significant induction of micronuclei in the haemocytes of mussels. Our findings identify significant differential impacts on Mytilus edulis of the two chemical forms of tritium and emphasise the need for a separate classification and control of releases of tritiated compounds, to adequately protect the marine ecosystem. - Tritium from tritiated glycine demonstrates greater accumulation and persistence in tissues and enhanced genotoxicity in haemocytes of marine mussels, compared to tritium from tritiated water.

  14. Elevated carbon dioxide: impacts on soil and plant water relations

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kirkham, M. B

    2011-01-01

    .... Focusing on this critical issue, Elevated Carbon Dioxide: Impacts on Soil and Plant Water Relations presents research conducted on field-grown sorghum, winter wheat, and rangeland plants under elevated CO2...

  15. Global hydrobelts: improved reporting scale for water-related issues?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meybeck, M.; Kummu, M.; Dürr, H. H.

    2012-08-01

    Questions related to water such as its availability, water needs or stress, or management, are mapped at various resolutions at the global scale. They are reported at many scales, mostly along political or continental boundaries. As such, they ignore the fundamental heterogeneity of the hydroclimate and the natural boundaries of the river basins. Here, we describe the continental landmasses according to eight global-scale hydrobelts strictly limited by river basins, defined at a 30' (0.5°) resolution. The belts were defined and delineated, based primarily on the annual average temperature (T) and runoff (q), to maximise interbelt differences and minimise intrabelt variability. The belts were further divided into 29 hydroregions based on continental limits. This new global puzzle defines homogeneous and near-contiguous entities with similar hydrological and thermal regimes, glacial and postglacial basin histories, endorheism distribution and sensitivity to climate variations. The Mid-Latitude, Dry and Subtropical belts have northern and southern analogues and a general symmetry can be observed for T and q between them. The Boreal and Equatorial belts are unique. The hydroregions (median size 4.7 Mkm2) contrast strongly, with the average q ranging between 6 and 1393 mm yr-1 and the average T between -9.7 and +26.3 °C. Unlike the hydroclimate, the population density between the North and South belts and between the continents varies greatly, resulting in pronounced differences between the belts with analogues in both hemispheres. The population density ranges from 0.7 to 0.8 p km-2 for the North American Boreal and some Australian hydroregions to 280 p km-2 for the Asian part of the Northern Mid-Latitude belt. The combination of population densities and hydroclimate features results in very specific expressions of water-related characteristics in each of the 29 hydroregions. Our initial tests suggest that hydrobelt and hydroregion divisions are often more

  16. The impact of hydration changes in fresh bio-tissue on THz spectroscopic measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Png, G M; Ng, B W-H; Mickan, S P; Abbott, D; Choi, J W; Zhang, X-C

    2008-01-01

    We present a study of how residual hydration in fresh rat tissue samples can vastly alter their extracted terahertz (THz) optical properties and influence their health assessment. Fresh (as opposed to preserved) tissue most closely mimics in vivo conditions, but high water content creates many challenges for tissue handling and THz measurement. Our THz measurements of fresh tissue over time highlight the effect of tissue hydration on tissue texture and dimension, the latter directly influencing the accuracy of calculated optical properties. We then introduce lyophilization (freeze drying) as a viable solution for overcoming hydration and freshness problems. Lyophilization removes large amounts of water while retaining sample freshness. In addition, lyophilized tissue samples are easy to handle and their textures and dimensions do not vary over time, allowing for consistent and stable THz measurements. A comparison of lyophilized and fresh tissue shows for the first time that freeze drying may be one way of overcoming tissue hydration issues while preserving tissue cellular structure. Finally, we compare THz measurements from fresh tissue against necrotic tissue to verify freshness over time. Indeed, THz measurements from fresh and necrotic tissues show marked differences

  17. Evidence on dynamic effects in the water content – water potential relation of building materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scheffler, Gregor Albrecht; Plagge, Rudolf

    2008-01-01

    static and dynamic moisture storage data and the more pronounced was the corresponding dynamic hysteresis. The paper thus provides clear experimental evidence on dynamic effects in the water content – water potential relation of building materials. By that, data published by previous authors as Topp et......Hygrothermal simulation has become a widely applied tool for the design and assessment of building structures under possible indoor and outdoor climatic conditions. One of the most important prerequisites of such simulations is reliable material data. Different approaches exist here to derive...... the required material functions, i.e. the moisture storage characteristic and the liquid water conductivity, from measured basic properties. The current state of the art in material modelling as well as the corresponding transport theory implies that the moisture transport function is unique...

  18. Morphology of urethral tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, Bert; Schulz, Georg; Herzen, Julia; Mushkolaj, Shpend; Bormann, Therese; Beckmann, Felix; Püschel, Klaus

    2010-09-01

    Micro computed tomography has been developed to a powerful technique for the characterization of hard and soft human and animal tissues. Soft tissues including the urethra, however, are difficult to be analyzed, since the microstructures of interest exhibit X-ray absorption values very similar to the surroundings. Selective staining using highly absorbing species is a widely used approach, but associated with significant tissue modification. Alternatively, one can suitably embed the soft tissue, which requires the exchange of water. Therefore, the more recently developed phase contrast modes providing much better contrast of low X-ray absorbing species are especially accommodating in soft tissue characterization. The present communication deals with the morphological characterization of sheep, pig and human urethras on the micrometer scale taking advantage of micro computed tomography in absorption and phase contrast modes. The performance of grating-based tomography is demonstrated for freshly explanted male and female urethras in saline solution. The micro-morphology of the urethra is important to understand how the muscles close the urethra to reach continence. As the number of incontinent patients is steadily increasing, the function under static and, more important, under stress conditions has to be uncovered for the realization of artificial urinary sphincters, which needs sophisticated, biologically inspired concepts to become nature analogue.

  19. ECP measurements in the BWR-1 water loop relative to water composition changes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kus, P.; Vsolak, R.; Kysela, J., E-mail: ksp@ujv.cz [Nuclear Research Inst. Rez plc, Husinec - Rez (Czech Republic); Hanawa, S.; Nakamura, T.; Uchida, S., E-mail: hanawa.satoshi@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki (Japan)

    2010-07-01

    The goal of this study is to investigate the usage of ECP sensors in nuclear power plants. ECP sensors were tested using the LVR-15 reactor at the Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc (NRI) in the Czech Republic. The experiment took place on the BWR-1 loop, which was designed for investigating the behaviour of structural materials and radioactivity transport under BWR conditions. The BWR-1 loop facilitates irradiation experiments within a wide range of operating parameters (max. pressure of 10 MPa, max. temperature of 573 K and a neutron flux of 1.0* 10{sup 18} n/m{sup 2}s). This study involves the measurement of electrochemical potential (ECP). Corrosion potential is the main parameter for monitoring of water composition changes in nuclear power plants (NPP). The electrochemical potentials of stainless steel were measured under high temperatures in a test loop (BWR-1) under different water composition conditions. Total neutron flux was ∼10{sup -3} to ∼10{sup 12} n/cm{sup 2}s (>0.1 MeV) at a temperature of 560K, neutral pH, and water resistivity of 18.2 MOhm. ECP sensor response related to changes in water composition was monitored. Switching from NWC (normal water conditions) to HWC (hydrogen water conditions) was controlled using oxygen dosage. Water chemistry was monitored approx. 50 meters from the active channel. The active channel temperature was maintained within a range of 543 - 561 K from the start of irradiation for the entire duration of the experiment. A total of 24 reference electrodes composed of platinum (Pt), silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) and a zircon membrane containing silver oxide (Ag{sub 2}O) powder were installed inside the active channel of the LVR-15 test reactor. The active channel (Field tube) was divided into four zones, with each zone containing six sensors. A mathematical radiolysis code model was created in cooperation with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. (author)

  20. Expression of inflammation-related genes is altered in gastric tissue of patients with advanced stages of NAFLD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Rohini; Birerdinc, Aybike; Neupane, Arpan; Shamsaddini, Amirhossein; Afendy, Arian; Elariny, Hazem; Chandhoke, Vikas; Baranova, Ancha; Younossi, Zobair M

    2013-01-01

    Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation perpetuated by visceral adipose. Other organs, particularly stomach and intestine, may also overproduce proinflammatory molecules. We examined the gene expression patterns in gastric tissue of morbidly obese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and compared the changes in gene expression in different histological forms of NAFLD. Stomach tissue samples from 20 morbidly obese NAFLD patients who were undergoing sleeve gastrectomy were profiled using qPCR for 84 genes encoding inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, their receptors, and other components of inflammatory cascades. Interleukin 8 receptor-beta (IL8RB) gene overexpression in gastric tissue was correlated with the presence of hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis, and histologic diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Expression levels of soluble interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) were correlated with the presence of NASH and hepatic fibrosis. mRNA levels of interleukin 8 (IL8), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 4 (CCL4), and its receptor chemokine (C-C motif) receptor type 5 (CCR5) showed a significant increase in patients with advanced hepatic inflammation and were correlated with the severity of the hepatic inflammation. The results of our study suggest that changes in expression patterns for inflammatory molecule encoding genes within gastric tissue may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity-related NAFLD.

  1. Relating tropical ocean clouds to moist processes using water vapor isotope measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Lee

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We examine the co-variations of tropospheric water vapor, its isotopic composition and cloud types and relate these distributions to tropospheric mixing and distillation models using satellite observations from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES over the summertime tropical ocean. Interpretation of these process distributions must take into account the sensitivity of the TES isotope and water vapor measurements to variations in cloud, water, and temperature amount. Consequently, comparisons are made between cloud-types based on the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISSCP classification; these are clear sky, non-precipitating (e.g., cumulus, boundary layer (e.g., stratocumulus, and precipitating clouds (e.g. regions of deep convection. In general, we find that the free tropospheric vapor over tropical oceans does not strictly follow a Rayleigh model in which air parcels become dry and isotopically depleted through condensation. Instead, mixing processes related to convection as well as subsidence, and re-evaporation of rainfall associated with organized deep convection all play significant roles in controlling the water vapor distribution. The relative role of these moisture processes are examined for different tropical oceanic regions.

  2. Tissue kinetics, ion transport, and recruitment of mitochondria-rich cells in the skin of the toad (Bufo bufo) in response to exposure to distilled water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Budtz, Poul Egede; Christoffersen, Betina C.; Johansen, Jesper S.

    1995-01-01

    Mitochondria-rich cells (MRC) of the amphibian epidermis are responsible for active chloride uptake at low external salinity, and new MRCs are recruited in response to exposure to distilled (deionized) water. The time-course of this recruitment, the tissue kinetics and ion transport have been...

  3. Heavy metal concentrations in water, sediments and body tissues of red worm (Tubifex spp.) collected from natural habitats in Mumbai, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Ravendra Kumar; Chavan, Sugandha L; Sapkale, Pravin H

    2007-06-01

    Live feeds, especially Tubifex spp., which are collected from a wide variety of polluted habitats, are used by aquarium fish keepers in India. These habitats receive domestic sewage and industrial wastes from nearby residential and industrial areas. Reports of morbidity and mortality from aquarium fish culturists in and around Mumbai led to the present investigations on the ecology of these habitats with a view to assess the water quality, presence of heavy metals in the environment and their bioaccumulation in Tubifex worms, and to examine whether these habitats could be exploited to meet the demand of the industry. Six natural red worm (Tubifex spp.) collection centres in Mumbai and Thane districts of Maharashtra state in India constituting a major source of live Tubifex supply to aquarium fish industry were evaluated for pollution, heavy metal concentration in water, sediments and in the body tissues of Tubifex. Data revealed the presence of heavy metals in water and sediments at collection sites and bioaccumulation of cadmium, iron, lead, zinc and copper in body tissues of Tubifex worms. Cadmium ranged from 2.38 to 7.21 mg/kg, iron 671.9 to 5738 mg/kg, lead 14.95 to 33.49 mg/kg, zinc 60.20 to 166.60 mg/kg and copper 29.38 to 108.90 mg/kg of dry Tubifex worms. The study suggests that all the six collection sites are polluted and the red worms contaminated with heavy metals and hence, unfit for use in aquaria or feeding any variety of fish or crustaceans in the hatcheries.

  4. Brain water mapping with MR imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laine, F.J.; Fatouros, P.P.; Kraft, K.A.

    1990-01-01

    This paper reports on a recently developed MR imaging technique to determine the spatial distribution of brain water to healthy volunteers. A noninvasive MR imaging technique to obtain absolute measurements of brain water has been developed and validated with phantom and animal studies. Patient confirmation was obtained from independent gravimetric measurements of brain tissue samples harvested by biopsy. This approach entails the production of accurate T1 maps from multiple inversion recovery images of a selected anatomic section and their subsequent conversion into an absolute water image by means of a previously determined calibration curve. Twenty healthy volunteers were studied and their water distribution was determined in a standard section. The following brain water values means and SD grams of water per gram of tissue) were obtained for selected brain regions; white matter, 68.9% ± 1.0; corpus callosum, 67.4% ± 1.1; thalamus, 75.3% ± 1.4; and caudate nucleus, 80.3% ± 1.4. MR imaging water mapping is a valid means of determining water content in a variety of brain tissues

  5. Detection, quantitation and identification of enteroviruses from surface waters and sponge tissue from the Florida Keys using real-time RT-PCR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donaldson, K.A.; Griffin, Dale W.; Paul, J.H.

    2002-01-01

    A method was developed for the quantitative detection of pathogenic human enteroviruses from surface waters in the Florida Keys using Taqman (R) one-step Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR with the Model 7700 ABI Prism (R) Sequence Detection System. Viruses were directly extracted from unconcentrated grab samples of seawater, from seawater concentrated by vortex flow filtration using a 100kD filter and from sponge tissue. Total RNA was extracted from the samples, purified and concentrated using spin-column chromatography. A 192-196 base pair portion of the 5??? untranscribed region was amplified from these extracts. Enterovirus concentrations were estimated using real-time RT-PCR technology. Nine of 15 sample sites or 60% were positive for the presence of pathogenic human enteroviruses. Considering only near-shore sites, 69% were positive with viral concentrations ranging from 9.3viruses/ml to 83viruses/g of sponge tissue (uncorrected for extraction efficiency). Certain amplicons were selected for cloning and sequencing for identification. Three strains of waterborne enteroviruses were identified as Coxsackievirus A9, Coxsackievirus A16, and Poliovirus Sabin type 1. Time and cost efficiency of this one-step real-time RT-PCR methodology makes this an ideal technique to detect, quantitate and identify pathogenic enteroviruses in recreational waters. Copyright ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

  6. Protein signature of lung cancer tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael R Mehan

    Full Text Available Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer-related mortality. We applied a highly multiplexed proteomic technology (SOMAscan to compare protein expression signatures of non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC tissues with healthy adjacent and distant tissues from surgical resections. In this first report of SOMAscan applied to tissues, we highlight 36 proteins that exhibit the largest expression differences between matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. The concentrations of twenty proteins increased and sixteen decreased in tumor tissue, thirteen of which are novel for NSCLC. NSCLC tissue biomarkers identified here overlap with a core set identified in a large serum-based NSCLC study with SOMAscan. We show that large-scale comparative analysis of protein expression can be used to develop novel histochemical probes. As expected, relative differences in protein expression are greater in tissues than in serum. The combined results from tissue and serum present the most extensive view to date of the complex changes in NSCLC protein expression and provide important implications for diagnosis and treatment.

  7. Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on plants during mild water stress, 4: The insensitivity of soybean internal water relations to ultraviolet-B radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teramura, A.H.; Forseth, I.N.; Lydon, J.

    1984-01-01

    The combined effects of ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280–320 nm) radiation and water stress were investigated on the water relations of greenhouse grown soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Essex]. On a weighted (Caldwell 1971), total daily dose basis, plants received either 0 or 3 000 effective J m 2 UV-B BE supplied by filtered FS-40 sunlamps. The latter dose simulated the solar UV-B radiation anticipated at College Park, Maryland, U.S.A. (39°N latitude) in the event that the global stratospheric ozone column is reduced by 25%. Plants were either well-watered or preconditioned by drought stress cycles. Diurnal measurements of water potential and stomatal conductance were made on the youngest fully expanded leaf. Various internal water relations parameters were determined for detached leaves. Plants were monitored before, during and after water stress. There were no significant differences in leaf water potential or stomatal conductance between treatments before plants were preconditioned to water stress. However, drought stress resulted in significantly lower midday and afternoon leaf water potentials and lower leaf conductances as compared to well-watered plants. UV-B radiation had no additional effect on leaf water potential; however, UV did result in lower leaf conductances in plants preconditioned to water stress. Turgid weight:dry weight ratio, elastic modulus, bound water and relative water content were unaffected by UV-B radiation. Osmotic potentials at full and zero turgor were significantly lower in the drought stressed treatments as compared to well-watered plants. (author)

  8. Characteristics and functions of Na-K-Cl cotransport in epithelial tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Grady, S.M.; Palfrey, H.C.; Field, M.

    1987-01-01

    This review summarizes our present understanding of Na-K-Cl cotransport and its physiological role in absorption and secretion of electrolytes and water in epithelial tissues. In the past several years an extensive literature about this cotransporter has developed due to its widespread distribution in a variety of cell types and its essential role in fluid and electrolyte transport in several epithelial tissues. We summarize this literature and speculate on the future characterization of this transport system. Although this review focuses on cotransport as it relates to absorptive and secretory processes in epithelia, important information concerning the pharmacology, stoichiometry, and regulation of Na-K-Cl cotransport in nonepithelial systems (i.e., erythrocytes, fibroblasts, squid axon, etc.) has been included to supplement areas that are less well established in the epithelial literature. 114 references

  9. Optical signature of nerve tissue-Exploratory ex vivo study comparing optical, histological, and molecular characteristics of different adipose and nerve tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balthasar, Andrea J R; Bydlon, Torre M; Ippel, Hans; van der Voort, Marjolein; Hendriks, Benno H W; Lucassen, Gerald W; van Geffen, Geert-Jan; van Kleef, Maarten; van Dijk, Paul; Lataster, Arno

    2018-05-14

    During several anesthesiological procedures, needles are inserted through the skin of a patient to target nerves. In most cases, the needle traverses several tissues-skin, subcutaneous adipose tissue, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels-to reach the target nerve. A clear identification of the target nerve can improve the success of the nerve block and reduce the rate of complications. This may be accomplished with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) which can provide a quantitative measure of the tissue composition. The goal of the current study was to further explore the morphological, biological, chemical, and optical characteristics of the tissues encountered during needle insertion to improve future DRS classification algorithms. To compare characteristics of nerve tissue (sciatic nerve) and adipose tissues, the following techniques were used: histology, DRS, absorption spectrophotometry, high-resolution magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HR-MAS NMR) spectroscopy, and solution 2D 13 C- 1 H heteronuclear single-quantum coherence spectroscopy. Tissues from five human freshly frozen cadavers were examined. Histology clearly highlights a higher density of cellular nuclei, collagen, and cytoplasm in fascicular nerve tissue (IFAS). IFAS showed lower absorption of light around 1200 nm and 1750 nm, higher absorption around 1500 nm and 2000 nm, and a shift in the peak observed around 1000 nm. DRS measurements showed a higher water percentage and collagen concentration in IFAS and a lower fat percentage compared to all other tissues. The scattering parameter (b) was highest in IFAS. The HR-MAS NMR data showed three extra chemical peak shifts in IFAS tissue. Collagen, water, and cellular nuclei concentration are clearly different between nerve fascicular tissue and other adipose tissue and explain some of the differences observed in the optical absorption, DRS, and HR-NMR spectra of these tissues. Some differences observed between fascicular

  10. Observation of dehydration dynamics in biological tissues with terahertz digital holography [Invited].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Lihan; Wang, Xinke; Han, Peng; Sun, Wenfeng; Feng, Shengfei; Ye, Jiasheng; Zhang, Yan

    2017-05-01

    A terahertz (THz) digital holographic imaging system is utilized to investigate natural dehydration processes in three types of biological tissues, including cattle, mutton, and pork. An image reconstruction algorithm is applied to remove the diffraction influence of THz waves and further improve clarity of THz images. From THz images of different biological specimens, distinctive water content as well as dehydration features of adipose and muscle tissues are precisely distinguished. By analyzing THz absorption spectra of these samples, temporal evolution characteristics of the absorbances for adipose and muscle tissues are described and compared in detail. Discrepancies between water retention ability of different animal tissues are also discussed. The imaging technique provides a valuable measurement platform for biological sensing.

  11. Compositional analysis of Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) cell-wall material from parenchyma, epidermis, and subepidermal tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassby, Terri; Jay, Andrew J; Merali, Zara; Parker, Mary L; Parr, Adrian J; Faulds, Craig B; Waldron, Keith W

    2013-10-09

    Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis (Burman f.) Trin ex Henschel) is a corm consumed globally in Oriental-style cuisine. The corm consists of three main tissues, the epidermis, subepidermis, and parenchyma; the cell walls of which were analyzed for sugar, phenolic, and lignin content. Sugar content, measured by gas chromatography, was higher in the parenchyma cell walls (931 μg/mg) than in the subepidermis (775 μg/mg) or epidermis (685 μg/mg). The alkali-extractable phenolic content, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, was greater in the epidermal (32.4 μg/mg) and subepidermal cell walls (21.7 μg/mg) than in the cell walls of the parenchyma (12.3 μg/mg). The proportion of diferulic acids was higher in the parenchyma. The Klason lignin content of epidermal and subepidermal cell walls was ~15%. Methylation analysis of Chinese water chestnut cell-wall polysaccharides identified xyloglucan as the predominant hemicellulose in the parenchyma for the first time, and also a significant pectin component, similar to other nongraminaceous monocots.

  12. The differentiation potential of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells into cell lineage related to male germ cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Bräunig

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The adipose tissue is a reliable source of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs showing a higher plasticity and transdifferentiation potential into multilineage cells. In the present study, adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs were isolated from mice omentum and epididymis fat depots. The AT-MSCs were initially compared based on stem cell surface markers and on the mesodermal trilineage differentiation potential. Additionally, AT-MSCs, from both sources, were cultured with differentiation media containing retinoic acid (RA and/or testicular cell-conditioned medium (TCC. The AT-MSCs expressed mesenchymal surface markers and differentiated into adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages. Only omentum-derived AT-MSCs expressed one important gene marker related to male germ cell lineages, after the differentiation treatment with RA. These findings reaffirm the importance of adipose tissue as a source of multipotent stromal-stem cells, as well as, MSCs source regarding differentiation purpose.

  13. Engineering Complex Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    MIKOS, ANTONIOS G.; HERRING, SUSAN W.; OCHAREON, PANNEE; ELISSEEFF, JENNIFER; LU, HELEN H.; KANDEL, RITA; SCHOEN, FREDERICK J.; TONER, MEHMET; MOONEY, DAVID; ATALA, ANTHONY; VAN DYKE, MARK E.; KAPLAN, DAVID; VUNJAK-NOVAKOVIC, GORDANA

    2010-01-01

    This article summarizes the views expressed at the third session of the workshop “Tissue Engineering—The Next Generation,” which was devoted to the engineering of complex tissue structures. Antonios Mikos described the engineering of complex oral and craniofacial tissues as a “guided interplay” between biomaterial scaffolds, growth factors, and local cell populations toward the restoration of the original architecture and function of complex tissues. Susan Herring, reviewing osteogenesis and vasculogenesis, explained that the vascular arrangement precedes and dictates the architecture of the new bone, and proposed that engineering of osseous tissues might benefit from preconstruction of an appropriate vasculature. Jennifer Elisseeff explored the formation of complex tissue structures based on the example of stratified cartilage engineered using stem cells and hydrogels. Helen Lu discussed engineering of tissue interfaces, a problem critical for biological fixation of tendons and ligaments, and the development of a new generation of fixation devices. Rita Kandel discussed the challenges related to the re-creation of the cartilage-bone interface, in the context of tissue engineered joint repair. Frederick Schoen emphasized, in the context of heart valve engineering, the need for including the requirements derived from “adult biology” of tissue remodeling and establishing reliable early predictors of success or failure of tissue engineered implants. Mehmet Toner presented a review of biopreservation techniques and stressed that a new breakthrough in this field may be necessary to meet all the needs of tissue engineering. David Mooney described systems providing temporal and spatial regulation of growth factor availability, which may find utility in virtually all tissue engineering and regeneration applications, including directed in vitro and in vivo vascularization of tissues. Anthony Atala offered a clinician’s perspective for functional tissue

  14. Effects of phase transformation of steam-water relative permeabilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Verma, A.K.

    1986-03-01

    A combined theoretical and experimental study of steam-water relative permeabilities (RPs) was carried out. First, an experimental study of two-phase concurrent flow of steam and water was conducted and a set of RP curves was obtained. These curves were compared with semi-empirical and experimental results obtained by other investigators for two-phase, two-component flow (oil/gas; gas/water; gas/oil). It was found that while the wetting phase RPs were in good agreement, RPs for the steam phase were considerably higher than the non-wetting phase RPs in two-component systems. This enhancement of steam RP is attributed to phase transformation effects at the pore level in flow channels. The effects of phase transformation were studied theoretically. This study indicates that there are two separate mechanisms by which phase transformation affects RP curves: (1) Phase transformation is converging-diverging flow channels can cause an enhancement of steam phase RP. In a channel dominated by steam a fraction of the flowing steam condenses upstream from the constriction, depositing its latent heat of condensation. This heat is conducted through the solid grains around the pore throat, and evaporation takes place downstream from it. Therefore, for a given bulk flow quality; a smaller fraction of steam actually flows through the throat segments. This pore-level effect manifests itself as relative permeability enhancement on a macroscopic level; and (2) phase transformation along the interface of a stagnant phase and the phase flowing around it controls the irreducible phase saturation. Therefore, the irreducible phase saturation in steam-water flow will depend, among other factors, on the boundary conditions of the flow.

  15. Identifying mismatches between institutional perceptions of water-related risk drivers and water management strategies in three river basin areas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Räsänen, Aleksi; Juhola, Sirkku; Monge Monge, Adrián; Käkönen, Mira; Kanninen, Markku; Nygren, Anja

    2017-07-01

    Water-related risks and vulnerabilities are driven by variety of stressors, including climate and land use change, as well as changes in socio-economic positions and political landscapes. Hence, water governance, which addresses risks and vulnerabilities, should target multiple stressors. We analyze the institutional perceptions of the drivers and strategies for managing water-related risks and vulnerabilities in three regionally important river basin areas located in Finland, Mexico, and Laos. Our analysis is based on data gathered through participatory workshops and complemented by qualitative content analysis of relevant policy documents. The identified drivers and proposed risk reduction strategies showed the multidimensionality and context-specificity of water-related risks and vulnerabilities across study areas. Most of the identified drivers were seen to increase risks, but some of the drivers were positive trends, and drivers also included also policy instruments that can both increase or decrease risks. Nevertheless, all perceived drivers were not addressed with suggested risk reduction strategies. In particular, most of the risk reduction strategies were incremental adjustments, although many of the drivers classified as most important were large-scale trends, such as climate change, land use changes and increase in foreign investments. We argue that there is a scale mismatch between the identified drivers and suggested strategies, which questions the opportunity to manage the drivers by single-scale incremental adjustments. Our study suggests that for more sustainable risk and vulnerability reduction, the root causes of water-related risks and vulnerabilities should be addressed through adaptive multi-scale governance that carefully considers the context-specificity and the multidimensionality of the associated drivers and stressors.

  16. Chilling-related cell damage of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit cortical tissue impacts antioxidant, lipid and phenolic metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leisso, Rachel S; Buchanan, David A; Lee, Jinwook; Mattheis, James P; Sater, Chris; Hanrahan, Ines; Watkins, Christopher B; Gapper, Nigel; Johnston, Jason W; Schaffer, Robert J; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolaï, Bart M; Rudell, David R

    2015-02-01

    'Soggy breakdown' (SB) is an internal flesh disorder of 'Honeycrisp' apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit that occurs during low temperature storage. The disorder is a chilling injury (CI) in which visible symptoms typically appear after several weeks of storage, but information about the underlying metabolism associated with its induction and development is lacking. The metabolic profile of flesh tissue from wholly healthy fruit and brown and healthy tissues from fruit with SB was characterized using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and correlation networks revealed correlation among ester volatile compounds by composition and differences in phytosterol, phenolic and putative triacylglycerides (TAGs) metabolism among the tissues. anova-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) was used to test the significance of metabolic changes linked with tissue health status. ASCA-significant components included antioxidant compounds, TAGs, and phytosterol conjugates. Relative to entirely healthy tissues, elevated metabolite levels in symptomatic tissue included γ-amino butyric acid, glycerol, sitosteryl (6'-O-palmitoyl) β-d-glucoside and sitosteryl (6'-O-stearate) β-d-glucoside, and TAGs containing combinations of 16:0, 18:3, 18:2 and 18:1 fatty acids. Reduced metabolite levels in SB tissue included 5-caffeoyl quinate, β-carotene, catechin, epicatechin, α-tocopherol, violaxanthin and sitosteryl β-d glucoside. Pathway analysis indicated aspects of primary metabolism differed according to tissue condition, although differences in metabolites involved were more subtle than those of some secondary metabolites. The results implicate oxidative stress and membrane disruption processes in SB development and constitute a diagnostic metabolic profile for the disorder. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  17. The changes in various hydroxyproline fractions in aortic tissue of rabbits are closely related to the progression of atherosclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alhomida AS

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The most important function of collagen and elastin is to induce several mechanical parameters which are known to play a dominant role in governing mechanical properties of the blood vessels. The aortic tissue of rabbit is one of the important sources of collagen and elastin. The effects of high fat diet (HFD on the hydroxyproline (Hyp fractions in serum and aortic tissues of rabbits and collagen content in the aortic tissues of rabbits have not been documented before. The present study was undertaken to investigate the changes in Hyp fractions in serum and aortic tissues of rabbits and collagen content in the aortic tissues of rabbits during the progression of atherosclerosis. The atherosclerotic model used in this study was the New Zealand white rabbit (male; 12 weeks old. Twenty five rabbits were individually caged, and divided into control group (NOR; n = 10 and HFD group (CHO; n = 15. The control group was fed (100 g/day of normal (NOR diet for a period of 15 weeks. The HFD group was fed normal diet supplemented with 1.0% cholesterol plus 1.0% olive oil (100 g/day for the same period of time. Results We found that the TC, LDLC, and TG (mg/dl were significantly (p Conclusions These results suggest that percentage decrease in various Hyp fractions in aortic tissue of HFD rabbits are closely related to percentage decrease of collagen content in aortic tissues of HFD rabbits. These results also suggest that it may be possible to use the changes in various Hyp fractions in aortic tissues of rabbits as an important risk factor during the progression of atherosclerosis.

  18. Age-related carbonylation of fibrocartilage structural proteins drives tissue degenerative modification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scharf, Brian; Clement, Cristina C; Yodmuang, Supansa; Urbanska, Aleksandra M; Suadicani, Sylvia O; Aphkhazava, David; Thi, Mia M; Perino, Giorgio; Hardin, John A; Cobelli, Neil; Vunjak-Novakovic, Gordana; Santambrogio, Laura

    2013-07-25

    Aging-related oxidative stress has been linked to degenerative modifications in different organs and tissues. Using redox proteomic analysis and illustrative tandem mass spectrometry mapping, we demonstrate oxidative posttranslational modifications in structural proteins of intervertebral discs (IVDs) isolated from aging mice. Increased protein carbonylation was associated with protein fragmentation and aggregation. Complementing these findings, a significant loss of elasticity and increased stiffness was measured in fibrocartilage from aging mice. Studies using circular dichroism and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence revealed a significant loss of secondary and tertiary structures of purified collagens following oxidation. Collagen unfolding and oxidation promoted both nonenzymatic and enzymatic degradation. Importantly, induction of oxidative modification in healthy fibrocartilage recapitulated the biochemical and biophysical modifications observed in the aging IVD. Together, these results suggest that protein carbonylation, glycation, and lipoxidation could be early events in promoting IVD degenerative changes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Tissue integration of polyacrylamide hydrogel: an experimental study of periurethral, perivesical, and mammary gland tissue in the pig

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Lise H; Nielsen, John B; Mouritsen, Lone

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) is a nondegradable water-based polymer with high viscoelasticity. The gel is used as a tissue filler, the only risk being prolonged infection with anaerobic, contaminating microorganisms if not treated early with broad-spectrum antibiotics. OBJECTIVE...... With silicone gel as reference, PAAG tissue integration and migration was studied in a longitudinal study of the pig. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-one pigs were used. PAAG and silicone gel were injected into mammary tissue, and PAAG was injected into urethral or bladder wall or the anal canal. Tissues...... and regional lymph nodes were examined at 1, 1 1/2, 3, 3 1/2, 6, 12, and 14 months, and other lymph nodes and organs were examined at 1, 6, 12, and 14 months. RESULTS PAAG was invaded by macrophages and giant cells that were gradually replaced by a network of fibrous tissue. Silicone gel was seen inside...

  20. Size effect related to damping caused by water submersion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, R.G.

    1981-01-01

    An important effect of water submersion on the dynamic response of a structure is the increase in effective damping. The dynamic response of submerged structures is of interest in the nuclear power industry for reasons of operational safety during seismic and other dynamic excitations. In this paper, the added damping contribution that results from the viscosity of water and the dependence of the contribution on structural size are examined. Other factors considered are the applicable range of viscous damping with respect to displacement amplitude and, as far as damping is concerned, how far neighboring members must be from each other to respond as if in open water. An expression is derived for relating the damping value to structural size. Estimated added-damping values for representative fuel elements, fuel bundles, and main steam-pressure-relief-valve lines are given based on our derived expression for added damping

  1. Seasonal changes in plant-water relations influence patterns of leaf display in Miombo woodlands: evidence of water conservative strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinya, Royd; Malhi, Yadvinder; Brown, Nick D; Fisher, Joshua B; Brodribb, Timothy; Aragão, Luiz E O C

    2018-06-15

    Water availability has frequently been linked to seasonal leaf display in seasonally dry ecosystems, but there have been few ecohydrological investigations of this link. Miombo woodland is a dominant seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystem type in southern Africa; however, there are few data on the relationship between seasonal dynamics in plant-water relations and patterns of leaf display for Miombo woodland. Here we investigate this relationship among nine key Miombo woodland tree species differing in drought tolerance ability and leaf phenology. Results of this study showed that seasonal patterns of leaf phenology varied significantly with seasonal changes in stem water relations among the nine species. Leaf shedding coincided with the attainment of seasonal minimum stem water potential. Leaf flush occurred following xylem rehydration at the peak of the dry season suggesting that endogenous plant factors play a pivotal role in seasonal leaf display in this forest type. Drought-tolerant deciduous species suffered significantly higher seasonal losses in xylem hydraulic conductivity than the drought-intolerant semi-evergreen tree species (P water stress in seasonally dry tropical forests selects for water conservative traits that protect the vulnerable xylem transport system. Therefore, seasonal rhythms in xylem transport dictate patterns of leaf display in seasonally dry tropical forests.

  2. Attenuation of the gamma rays in tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arcos P, A.; Rodriguez N, S.; Pinedo S, A.; Amador V, P.; Chacon R, A.; Vega C, H.R.

    2005-01-01

    The mass and lineal attenuation coefficient and of hepatic tissue, muscular, osseous and of brain before gamma rays of 10 -3 to 10 5 MeV were calculated. For the case of the osseous tissue the calculation was made for the cartilage, the cortical tissue and the bone marrow. During the calculations the elementary composition of the tissues of human origin was used. The calculations include by separate the Photoelectric effect, the Compton scattering and the Pair production, as well as the total. For to establish a comparison with the attenuation capacities, the coefficients of the water, the aluminum and the lead also were calculated. The study was complemented measuring the attenuation coefficient of hepatic tissue of bovine before gamma rays of 0.662 MeV of a source of 137 Cs. The measurement was made through of an experiment of photons transmission through samples frozen of hepatic tissue and with a Geiger-Mueller detector. (Author)

  3. Expression of insulin-like growth factor system components in colorectal tissue and its relation with serum IGF levels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, A.; Voskuil, D.W.; Bosma, A.; Majoor, D.M.; Doorn, van J.; Cats, A.; Depla, A.; Timmer, R.; Witteman, B.J.M.; Wesseling, J.; Kampman, E.; van't Veer, L.J.

    2009-01-01

    Context: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-system has been implicated in colorectal tumor carcinogenesis. Although both tumor expression levels and serum concentrations of IGF-system components are related to colorectal cancer risk, it is unknown whether IGF levels in tissue and serum are

  4. Expression of insulin-like growth factor system components in colorectal tissue and its relation with serum IGF levels.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrieling, A.; Voskuil, D.W.; Bosma, A.; Majoor, D.M.; Doorn, J. van; Cats, A.; Depla, A.C.; Timmer, R.; Witteman, B.J.; Wesseling, J.; Kampman, E.; Veer, L.J. van 't

    2009-01-01

    CONTEXT: The insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-system has been implicated in colorectal tumor carcinogenesis. Although both tumor expression levels and serum concentrations of IGF-system components are related to colorectal cancer risk, it is unknown whether IGF levels in tissue and serum are

  5. Estrogenic alkylphenols in fish tissues, sediments, and waters from the U.K. Tyne and Tees estuaries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lye, C.M.; Frid, C.L.J.; Gill, M.E. [Univ. of Newcastle upon Tyne, North Shields (United Kingdom). Dove Marine Lab.; Cooper, D.W.; Jones, D.M. [Univ. of Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom)

    1999-04-01

    Nonylphenols and related compounds are common products of biodegradation of a large group of nonionic surfactants, the nonylphenol polyethoxylates. Many of these compounds are known to be environmentally persistent and to elicit estrogenic response in both mammals and fish. In this study, nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and octylphenol (OP) were found in tissues of mature male flounder, Platichthys flesus, and in tissues of juvenile flounder. These fish also showed detectable levels of the yolk protein vitellogenin in their plasma, indicative of estrogenic exposure. The compounds were also found in discharges from a major sewage treatment works and in sediments from two estuaries in north-east England; the highest levels from the highly industrialized Tees and lower levels from the industrialized/urbanized Tyne estuary. The implications of these findings for fish populations are discussed.

  6. Relating water and air flow characteristics in coarse granular materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Rune Røjgaard; Canga, Eriona; Poulsen, Tjalfe Gorm

    2013-01-01

    Water pressure drop as a function of velocity controls w 1 ater cleaning biofilter operation 2 cost. At present this relationship in biofilter materials must be determined experimentally as no 3 universal link between pressure drop, velocity and filter material properties have been established. 4...... Pressure drop - velocity in porous media is much simpler and faster to measure for air than for water. 5 For soils and similar materials, observations show a strong connection between pressure drop – 6 velocity relations for air and water, indicating that water pressure drop – velocity may be estimated 7...... from air flow data. The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate if this approach is valid 8 also for coarse granular biofilter media which usually consists of much larger particles than soils. In 9 this paper the connection between the pressure drop – velocity relationships for air...

  7. Modeling the relative impact of capsular tissue effects on implanted glucose sensor time lag and signal attenuation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novak, Matthew T; Yuan, Fan; Reichert, William M

    2010-10-01

    Little is known mechanistically about why implanted glucose sensors lag behind blood glucose levels in both the time to peak sensor response and the magnitude of peak sensor response. A mathematical model of glucose transport from capillaries through surrounding tissue to the sensor surface was constructed to address how different aspects of the tissue affect glucose transport to an implanted sensor. Physiologically relevant values of capsule diffusion coefficient, capsule porosity, cellular glucose consumption, capsule thickness, and subcutaneous vessel density were used as inputs to create simulated sensor traces that mimic experimental instances of time lag and concentration attenuation relative to a given blood glucose profile. Using logarithmic sensitivity analysis, each parameter was analyzed to study the effect of these variables on both lag and attenuation. Results identify capsule thickness as the strongest determinant of sensor time lag, while subcutaneous vessel density and capsule porosity had the largest effects on attenuation of glucose that reaches the sensor surface. These findings provide mechanistic insight for the rational design of sensor modifications that may alleviate the deleterious consequences of tissue effects on implanted sensor performance.

  8. Analysis of Health Indicators in Two Rural Communities on the Colombian Caribbean Coast: Poor Water Supply and Education Level Are Associated with Water-Related Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz-Díaz, María Stephany; Mora-García, Gustavo José; Salguedo-Madrid, Germán Israel; Alario, Ángelo; Gómez-Camargo, Doris Esther

    2017-11-01

    Water-related diseases are closely linked with drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) indicators, socioeconomic status, education level, or dwelling's conditions. Developing countries exhibit a particular vulnerability to these diseases, especially rural areas and urban slums. This study assessed socioeconomic features, WASH indicators, and water-related diseases in two rural areas of the Colombian Caribbean coast. Most of this population did not finish basic education (72.3%, N = 159). Only one of the communities had a water supply (aqueduct), whereas the other received water via an adapted tanker ship. No respondents reported sewage services; 92.7% ( N = 204) had garbage service. Reported cases of diarrhea were associated with low education levels ( P = 2.37 × 10 -9 ) and an unimproved drinking water supply ( P = 0.035). At least one fever episode was reported in 20% ( N = 44) of dwellings, but the cases were not related to any indicator. The Aedes/ House index (percentage of houses that tested positive for Aedes larvae and/or pupae) was 69%, the container index (percentage of water-holding containers positive for Aedes larvae or pupae) 29.4%, and the Breteau index (number of positive containers per 100 houses in a specific location) was three positive containers per 100 inspected houses. The presence of positive containers was associated with the absence of a drinking water supply ( P = 0.04). The community with poorer health indicators showed greater health vulnerability conditions for acquisition of water-related diseases. In summary, water supply and educational level were the main factors associated with the presence of water-related diseases in both communities.

  9. Do Smooth Waters Run Deep? Alcohol Intoxication and the Effects of Water Consumption on Driving-Related Cognitions and Behavior

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spaanjaars, N.L.; Spijkerman, R.; Engels, R.C.M.E.

    2011-01-01

    The present study tested the effect of the combined use of alcohol and water on driving-related cognitions and behavior. Seventy-four female students performed a driving simulator task after having consumed alcohol or a placebo. Additionally, half of the participants consumed 0.5 liter of water. It

  10. Relative Water Uptake as a Criterion for the Design of Trickle Irrigation Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Communar, G.; Friedman, S. P.

    2008-12-01

    Previously derived analytical solutions to the 2- and 3-dimensional water flow problems describing trickle irrigation are not being widely used in practice because those formulations either ignore root water uptake or refer to it as a known input. In this lecture we are going to describe a new modeling approach and demonstrate its applicability for designing the geometry of trickle irrigation systems, namely the spacing between the emitters and drip lines. The major difference between our and previous modeling approaches is that we refer to the root water uptake as to the unknown solution of the problem and not as to a known input. We postulate that the solution to the steady-state water flow problem with a root sink that is acting under constant, maximum suction defines un upper bound to the relative water uptake (water use efficiency) in actual transient situations and propose to use it as a design criterion. Following previous derivations of analytical solutions we assume that the soil hydraulic conductivity increases exponentially with its matric head, which allows the linearization of the Richards equation, formulated in terms of the Kirchhoff matric flux potential. Since the transformed problem is linear, the relative water uptake for any given configuration of point or line sources and sinks can be calculated by superposition of the Green's functions of all relevant water sources and sinks. In addition to evaluating the relative water uptake, we also derived analytical expressions for the steam functions. The stream lines separating the water uptake zone from the percolating water provide insight to the dependence of the shape and extent of the actual rooting zone on the source- sink geometry and soil properties. A minimal number of just 3 system parameters: Gardner's (1958) alfa as a soil type quantifier and the depth and diameter of the pre-assumed active root zone are sufficient to characterize the interplay between capillary and gravitational effects on

  11. ANALYSIS OF WATER RELATIONS OF SUBSTRATES USED IN GREEN ROOF SYSTEMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Baryła

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Green roofs, as the restoration of biologically active area, are fairly common and effective method of storm water management in urban areas. Depend on the design of the green roof and the type of substrate, they are able to retain 50–90% of rainwater. The aim of the study was to determine the physicochemical properties of two substrates used in the construction of green roofs (intensive and extensive. Water retention of substrates was compared to water retention of substrates undelined with the drainage layer made from crushed autoclaved aerated concrete. In the experiment, which uses drainage layer, higher drying the top layer of the substrate was observed, which may be related to high water absorption drainage material. The effluent from the substrate using aerated concrete as a drainage layer amounted to an average of 22–51% of the volume of water supplied to the extensive substrate, whereas 19–46% of the volume of water supplied to the intensive substrate. The effluent from the substrate without the drainage layer amounted 40-48% of the volume of water supplied.

  12. Germination, seedling growth and relative water content of shoot in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-08-18

    Aug 18, 2008 ... (mg), root : shoot length (R:S) ratio, and relative water content of shoot (RWC, %) were investigated in this study. The results ... seedlings may provide an advantage by allowing access ... Residual chlorine was eliminated by.

  13. Ontology-based, Tissue MicroArray oriented, image centered tissue bank

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viti Federica

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Tissue MicroArray technique is becoming increasingly important in pathology for the validation of experimental data from transcriptomic analysis. This approach produces many images which need to be properly managed, if possible with an infrastructure able to support tissue sharing between institutes. Moreover, the available frameworks oriented to Tissue MicroArray provide good storage for clinical patient, sample treatment and block construction information, but their utility is limited by the lack of data integration with biomolecular information. Results In this work we propose a Tissue MicroArray web oriented system to support researchers in managing bio-samples and, through the use of ontologies, enables tissue sharing aimed at the design of Tissue MicroArray experiments and results evaluation. Indeed, our system provides ontological description both for pre-analysis tissue images and for post-process analysis image results, which is crucial for information exchange. Moreover, working on well-defined terms it is then possible to query web resources for literature articles to integrate both pathology and bioinformatics data. Conclusions Using this system, users associate an ontology-based description to each image uploaded into the database and also integrate results with the ontological description of biosequences identified in every tissue. Moreover, it is possible to integrate the ontological description provided by the user with a full compliant gene ontology definition, enabling statistical studies about correlation between the analyzed pathology and the most commonly related biological processes.

  14. Expression of Inflammation-Related Genes Is Altered in Gastric Tissue of Patients with Advanced Stages of NAFLD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohini Mehta

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation perpetuated by visceral adipose. Other organs, particularly stomach and intestine, may also overproduce proinflammatory molecules. We examined the gene expression patterns in gastric tissue of morbidly obese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD and compared the changes in gene expression in different histological forms of NAFLD. Stomach tissue samples from 20 morbidly obese NAFLD patients who were undergoing sleeve gastrectomy were profiled using qPCR for 84 genes encoding inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, their receptors, and other components of inflammatory cascades. Interleukin 8 receptor-beta (IL8RB gene overexpression in gastric tissue was correlated with the presence of hepatic steatosis, hepatic fibrosis, and histologic diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH. Expression levels of soluble interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN were correlated with the presence of NASH and hepatic fibrosis. mRNA levels of interleukin 8 (IL8, chemokine (C-C motif ligand 4 (CCL4, and its receptor chemokine (C-C motif receptor type 5 (CCR5 showed a significant increase in patients with advanced hepatic inflammation and were correlated with the severity of the hepatic inflammation. The results of our study suggest that changes in expression patterns for inflammatory molecule encoding genes within gastric tissue may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity-related NAFLD.

  15. Water-related constraints to the development of geothermal electric generating stations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robertson, R.C.; Shepherd, A.D.; Rosemarin, C.S.; Mayfield, M.W.

    1981-06-01

    The water-related constraints, which may be among the most complex and variable of the issues facing commercialization of geothermal energy, are discussed under three headings: (1) water requirements of geothermal power stations, (2) resource characteristics of the most promising hydrothermal areas and regional and local water supply situations, and (3) legal issues confronting potential users of water at geothermal power plants in the states in which the resource areas are located. A total of 25 geothermal resource areas in California, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Hawaii, and Alaska were studied. Each had a hydrothermal resource temperature in excess of 150/sup 0/C (300/sup 0/F) and an estimated 30-year potential of greater than 100-MW(e) capacity.

  16. A COMPARISON OF WAKEBOARD-, WATER SKIING-, AND TUBING-RELATED INJURIES IN THE UNITED STATES, 2000-2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John I. Baker

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to compare tubing-related injuries to wakeboarding- and water skiing-related injuries. Data was collected from the 2000-2007 National Electronic Injury Surveillance Survey for 1,761 individuals seeking care at an emergency department due to a tubing-, wakeboarding, or water skiing-related injury. Data included patient age and sex, as well as injury characteristics including body region injured (i.e., head and neck, trunk, shoulder and upper extremity, and hip and lower extremity and diagnosis of injury (e.g., contusion, laceration, or fracture. Case narratives were reviewed to ensure that a tubing-, wakeboarding-, or water skiing-related injury occurred while the individual was being towed behind a boat. Severe injury (defined as an injury resulting in the individual being hospitalized, transferred, held for observation was compared among the groups using logistic regression. Wakeboard- and tubing-related injuries more commonly involved the head and neck, while water skiing- related injuries were likely to involve the hip and lower extremity. Tubing-related injuries, compared to water skiing-related injuries, were more likely to be severe (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.23-4. 33. Like wakeboarding and water skiing, tubing has inherent risks that must be understood by the participant. While tubing is generally considered a safer alternative to wakeboarding and water skiing, the results of the current study suggest otherwise. Both the number and severity of tubing- related injuries could be prevented through means such as advocating the use of protective wear such as helmets while riding a tube or having recommended safe towing speeds prominently placed on inner tubes

  17. Radiation dose to mouse liver cells from ingestion of tritiated food or water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komatsu, K.; Okumura, Y.; Sakamoto, K.

    1990-01-01

    Tritium incorporated into tissues and DNA of mice was studied after daily ingestion of tritiated food or tritiated water. The tritiated food used was a commercial preparation mixed with brine shrimp that had been reared in tritiated sea water. After ingestion of tritiated food or water for up to 22 d, the specific activity of 3H in tissues was measured as tissue-free-water 3H, tissue-bound 3H, and DNA-bound 3H. Carbon-14 glucose was added to food and drinking water to compare the 3H intake from food with that from water. The specific activity of 3H in tissues was then corrected by the specific activity of 14C in tissues to determine the 3H incorporation from the same amount of ingested food and water. DNA-bound 3H after the ingestion of tritiated food was 4.6 times higher than that of tritiated water, while tissue-bound 3H was 2.2 times higher. The radiation dose to liver from 3H incorporated through food was twofold higher than from tritiated water, which was mainly from the high incorporation of 3H into DNA. Our results demonstrated that the dose calculation based on tissue-free-water 3H alone would under-estimate the radiation exposure of the human population exposed to tritiated food

  18. Effects of mineral water differing in chemical composition on the post-radiation restorative processes of tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zubkova, S.M.; Bulyakova, N.V.; Azarova, V.S.; Popova, M.F.; Korolev, Yu.N.; Nikulina, L.A.; Panova, L.N. [Russian Research Center for Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Moscow (Russian Federation)]|[Severtsov Institute of Evolutionary Morphology and Animal Ecology, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    1994-11-01

    Experiments have show that natural and manufactured water containing arsenic and iodine may alter radiosensitivity in rats. This effect is associated with the ability of certain concentrations of iodine and arsenic ions to decrease respiration and stimulate phosphorylation in rat liver mintochondria, with resulting tissue hypoxia. Combination of iodine and calcium produced a protective effect after 21 days of daily administration to rats that absorbed radiation. In particular the survival rate of the rates increased to 67% in comparison with a 36% survival rate in rats that received only calcium and a 100% death rate in rats which were left untreated. In addition to increased energization of rat liver mitochondria, the treatment produced an inhibition of renal parenchyma clacification caused by radiation. 6 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.

  19. Vocal cord dysfunction related to water-damaged buildings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cummings, Kristin J; Fink, Jordan N; Vasudev, Monica; Piacitelli, Chris; Kreiss, Kathleen

    2013-01-01

    Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is the intermittent paradoxical adduction of the vocal cords during respiration, resulting in variable upper airway obstruction. Exposure to damp indoor environments is associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes, including asthma, but its role in the development of VCD is not well described. We describe the spectrum of respiratory illness in occupants of 2 water-damaged office buildings. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted a health hazard evaluation that included interviews with managers, a maintenance officer, a remediation specialist who had evaluated the 2 buildings, employees, and consulting physicians. In addition, medical records and reports of building evaluations were reviewed. Diagnostic evaluations for VCD had been conducted at the Asthma and Allergy Center of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Two cases of VCD were temporally related to occupancy of water-damaged buildings. The patients experienced cough, chest tightness, dyspnea, wheezing, and hoarseness when in the buildings. Spirometry was normal. Methacholine challenge did not show bronchial hyperreactivity but did elicit symptoms of VCD and inspiratory flow-volume loop truncation. Direct laryngoscopy revealed vocal cord adduction during inspiration. Coworkers developed upper and lower respiratory symptoms; their diagnoses included sinusitis and asthma, consistent with recognized effects of exposure to indoor dampness. Building evaluations provided evidence of water damage and mold growth. VCD can occur with exposure to water-damaged buildings and should be considered in exposed patients with asthma-like symptoms. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  20. A comparison of wakeboard-, water skiing-, and tubing-related injuries in the United States, 2000-2007.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, John I; Griffin, Russell; Brauneis, Paul F; Rue, Loring W; McGwin, Gerald

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to compare tubing-related injuries to wakeboarding- and water skiing-related injuries. Data was collected from the 2000-2007 National Electronic Injury Surveillance Survey for 1,761 individuals seeking care at an emergency department due to a tubing-, wakeboarding, or water skiing-related injury. Data included patient age and sex, as well as injury characteristics including body region injured (i.e., head and neck, trunk, shoulder and upper extremity, and hip and lower extremity) and diagnosis of injury (e.g., contusion, laceration, or fracture). Case narratives were reviewed to ensure that a tubing-, wakeboarding-, or water skiing-related injury occurred while the individual was being towed behind a boat. Severe injury (defined as an injury resulting in the individual being hospitalized, transferred, held for observation) was compared among the groups using logistic regression. Wakeboard- and tubing-related injuries more commonly involved the head and neck, while water skiing- related injuries were likely to involve the hip and lower extremity. Tubing-related injuries, compared to water skiing-related injuries, were more likely to be severe (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.23-4. 33). Like wakeboarding and water skiing, tubing has inherent risks that must be understood by the participant. While tubing is generally considered a safer alternative to wakeboarding and water skiing, the results of the current study suggest otherwise. Both the number and severity of tubing- related injuries could be prevented through means such as advocating the use of protective wear such as helmets while riding a tube or having recommended safe towing speeds prominently placed on inner tubes. Key pointsIncrease annual injury rate trend in wakeboard injuries.Wakeboard- and tubing-related injuries more often to head and neck, waterskiing-related injuries more often to hip and lower extremity.Tubing-related injuries over 2-times as likely to be severe compared to

  1. Tissue-based water quality biosensors for detecting chemical warfare agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenbaum, Elias [Oak Ridge, TN; Sanders, Charlene A [Knoxville, TN

    2003-05-27

    A water quality sensor for detecting the presence of at least one chemical or biological warfare agent includes: a cell; apparatus for introducing water into the cell and discharging water from the cell adapted for analyzing photosynthetic activity of naturally occurring, free-living, indigenous photosynthetic organisms in water; a fluorometer for measuring photosynthetic activity of naturally occurring, free-living, indigenous photosynthetic organisms drawn into the cell; and an electronics package that analyzes raw data from the fluorometer and emits a signal indicating the presence of at least one chemical or biological warfare agent in the water.

  2. Hard tissue ablation with a spray-assisted mid-IR laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, H W; Rizoiu, I; Welch, A J

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to understand the dominant mechanism(s) for dental enamel ablation with the application of water spray. A free-running Er,Cr:YSGG (yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet) laser was used to ablate human enamel tissue at various radiant exposures. During dental ablation, distilled water was sprayed on the sample surface, and these results were compared to ablation without a spray (dry ablation). In order to identify dominant ablation mechanisms, transient acoustic waves were compared to ablation thresholds and the volume of material removed. The ablation profile and depth were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Irregular surface modification, charring and peripheral cracks were associated with dry ablation, whereas craters for spray samples were relatively clean without thermal damage. In spite of a 60% higher ablation threshold for spray associated irradiations owing to water absorption, acoustic peak pressures were six times higher and ablation volume was up to a factor of 2 larger compared to dry ablation. The enhanced pressure and ablation performance of the spray-assisted process was the result of rapid water vaporization, material ejection with recoil stress, interstitial water explosion and possibly liquid-jet formation. With water cooling and abrasive/disruptive mechanical effects, the spray ablation can be a safe and efficient modality for dental treatment

  3. Hard tissue ablation with a spray-assisted mid-IR laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, H. W.; Rizoiu, I.; Welch, A. J.

    2007-12-01

    The objective of this study was to understand the dominant mechanism(s) for dental enamel ablation with the application of water spray. A free-running Er,Cr:YSGG (yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet) laser was used to ablate human enamel tissue at various radiant exposures. During dental ablation, distilled water was sprayed on the sample surface, and these results were compared to ablation without a spray (dry ablation). In order to identify dominant ablation mechanisms, transient acoustic waves were compared to ablation thresholds and the volume of material removed. The ablation profile and depth were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Irregular surface modification, charring and peripheral cracks were associated with dry ablation, whereas craters for spray samples were relatively clean without thermal damage. In spite of a 60% higher ablation threshold for spray associated irradiations owing to water absorption, acoustic peak pressures were six times higher and ablation volume was up to a factor of 2 larger compared to dry ablation. The enhanced pressure and ablation performance of the spray-assisted process was the result of rapid water vaporization, material ejection with recoil stress, interstitial water explosion and possibly liquid-jet formation. With water cooling and abrasive/disruptive mechanical effects, the spray ablation can be a safe and efficient modality for dental treatment.

  4. Identification of Differentially Expressed IGFBP5-Related Genes in Breast Cancer Tumor Tissues Using cDNA Microarray Experiments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akkiprik, Mustafa; Peker, İrem; Özmen, Tolga; Amuran, Gökçe Güllü; Güllüoğlu, Bahadır M; Kaya, Handan; Özer, Ayşe

    2015-11-10

    IGFBP5 is an important regulatory protein in breast cancer progression. We tried to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between breast tumor tissues with IGFBP5 overexpression and their adjacent normal tissues. In this study, thirty-eight breast cancer and adjacent normal breast tissue samples were used to determine IGFBP5 expression by qPCR. cDNA microarrays were applied to the highest IGFBP5 overexpressed tumor samples compared to their adjacent normal breast tissue. Microarray analysis revealed that a total of 186 genes were differentially expressed in breast cancer compared with normal breast tissues. Of the 186 genes, 169 genes were downregulated and 17 genes were upregulated in the tumor samples. KEGG pathway analyses showed that protein digestion and absorption, focal adhesion, salivary secretion, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and phenylalanine metabolism pathways are involved. Among these DEGs, the prominent top two genes (MMP11 and COL1A1) which potentially correlated with IGFBP5 were selected for validation using real time RT-qPCR. Only COL1A1 expression showed a consistent upregulation with IGFBP5 expression and COL1A1 and MMP11 were significantly positively correlated. We concluded that the discovery of coordinately expressed genes related with IGFBP5 might contribute to understanding of the molecular mechanism of the function of IGFBP5 in breast cancer. Further functional studies on DEGs and association with IGFBP5 may identify novel biomarkers for clinical applications in breast cancer.

  5. Tissue banking: public awareness in Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nazly Hilmy

    1999-01-01

    Public awareness and acceptance on the benefit of Tissue Bank (TB) and its products in Indonesia are still very low, however four productive TBs are in operation by using mostly tissues from living donors. Except for medical doctors, nurses and experts who are involved in the establishment of the TB as well as who applied the products, almost nobody else understand what kind of bank this tissue bank is. Ethical in collecting tissues from non- living donors and using of this human tissues for safe medical application has several considerations that should be overcome, such as religious, legal and medical considerations. Legal and medical considerations are not very difficult to be faced. People are reluctant to give up by cutting off the needed tissue of a dead relative to help someone else who is suffering from a life threatening disease. Our duty is to enlighten the public about this bank by means of seminars, exposition, writings and discussions. We can use the electronic mass- media or printed one to explain the necessity of this tissue bank. We also need to involve leaders of religions, government high ranking officials as well as related Government institutions. Otherwise the tissues that are needed can only be obtained from the poor, the homeless whose health condition we do not know and no relatives who can give their permission for the taking of parts of the body. This is a very unethical way. Since January 1998, Batan Research Tissue Bank together with several hospitals in Indonesia have done four seminars, two discussions, two expositions, producing leaflets and carried out training in this matter. But it is not enough. More efforts should be done

  6. Repressor-mediated tissue-specific gene expression in plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meagher, Richard B [Athens, GA; Balish, Rebecca S [Oxford, OH; Tehryung, Kim [Athens, GA; McKinney, Elizabeth C [Athens, GA

    2009-02-17

    Plant tissue specific gene expression by way of repressor-operator complexes, has enabled outcomes including, without limitation, male sterility and engineered plants having root-specific gene expression of relevant proteins to clean environmental pollutants from soil and water. A mercury hyperaccumulation strategy requires that mercuric ion reductase coding sequence is strongly expressed. The actin promoter vector, A2pot, engineered to contain bacterial lac operator sequences, directed strong expression in all plant vegetative organs and tissues. In contrast, the expression from the A2pot construct was restricted primarily to root tissues when a modified bacterial repressor (LacIn) was coexpressed from the light-regulated rubisco small subunit promoter in above-ground tissues. Also provided are analogous repressor operator complexes for selective expression in other plant tissues, for example, to produce male sterile plants.

  7. Assessment of microcystins in lake water and fish (Mugilidae, Liza sp.) in the largest Spanish coastal lake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romo, Susana; Fernández, Francisca; Ouahid, Youness; Barón-Sola, Ángel

    2012-01-01

    Cyanobacteria dominance and cyanotoxin production can become major threats to humans and aquatic life, especially in warm shallow lakes, which are often dominated by cyanobacteria. This study investigates the occurrence and distribution of microcystins (MCYST) in water, cell-bound and in the tissues of the commercial mugilid Liza sp. in the largest, coastal, Spanish Mediterranean lake (Albufera of Valencia). This is the first report concerning microcystin accumulation in tissues of mugilid fish species. Considerable amounts of microcystins were found in the water and seston, which correlated with development of Microcystis aeruginosa populations in the lake. The MCYST concentrations found in Lake Albufera (mean 1.7 and 17 μg/L and maximum 16 and 120 μg/L in water and seston, respectively) exceeded by one to two orders of magnitude the guideline levels proposed by the World Health Organization and were higher than that reported in other lakes of the Mediterranean zone. The presence of MCYST was found in all the fishes studied and accumulated differently among tissues of the commercial species Liza sp. Toxin accumulation in fish tissues showed that although the target organ for MCYST was the liver, high concentrations of microcystins were also found in other analysed tissues (liver>intestine>gills>muscle). Human tolerable daily intake for microcystins is assessed relative to the WHO guidelines, and potential toxicological risks for humans, wildlife and related ecosystems of the lake are discussed.

  8. Differences in proleptic and epicormic shoot structures in relation to water deficit and growth rate in almond trees (Prunus dulcis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negrón, Claudia; Contador, Loreto; Lampinen, Bruce D; Metcalf, Samuel G; Guédon, Yann; Costes, Evelyne; DeJong, Theodore M

    2014-02-01

    Shoot characteristics differ depending on the meristem tissue that they originate from and environmental conditions during their development. This study focused on the effects of plant water status on axillary meristem fate and flowering patterns along proleptic and epicormic shoots, as well as on shoot growth rates on 'Nonpareil' almond trees (Prunus dulcis). The aims were (1) to characterize the structural differences between proleptic and epicormic shoots, (2) to determine whether water deficits modify shoot structures differently depending on shoot type, and (3) to determine whether shoot structures are related to shoot growth rates. A hidden semi-Markov model of the axillary meristem fate and number of flower buds per node was built for two shoot types growing on trees exposed to three plant water status treatments. The models segmented observed shoots into successive homogeneous zones, which were compared between treatments. Shoot growth rates were calculated from shoot extension measurements made during the growing season. Proleptic shoots had seven successive homogeneous zones while epicormic shoots had five zones. Shoot structures were associated with changes in growth rate over the season. Water deficit (1) affected the occurrence and lengths of the first zones of proleptic shoots, but only the occurrence of the third zone was reduced in epicormic shoots; (2) had a minor effect on zone flowering patterns and did not modify shoot or zone composition of axillary meristem fates; and (3) reduced growth rates, although patterns over the season were similar among treatments. Two meristem types, with different latency durations, produced shoots with different growth rates and distinct structures. Differences between shoot type structure responses to water deficit appeared to reflect their ontogenetic characteristics and/or resource availability for their development. Tree water deficit appeared to stimulate a more rapid progression through ontogenetic states.

  9. Electron beam absorption in solid and in water phantoms: depth scaling and energy-range relations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grosswendt, B.; Roos, M.

    1989-01-01

    In electron dosimetry energy parameters are used with values evaluated from ranges in water. The electron ranges in water may be deduced from ranges measured in solid phantoms. Several procedures recommended by national and international organisations differ both in the scaling of the ranges and in the energy-range relations for water. Using the Monte Carlo method the application of different procedures for electron energies below 10 MeV is studied for different phantom materials. It is shown that deviations in the range scaling and in the energy-range relations for water may accumulate to give energy errors of several per cent. In consequence energy-range relations are deduced for several solid phantom materials which enable a single-step energy determination. (author)

  10. Analysis of light scattering from human breast tissue using a custom dual-optical scanning near-field optical microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyle, Jennifer Reiber; Kyle, Michael D; Raghavan, Ravi; Budak, Gurer; Ozkan, Cengiz S; Ozkan, Mihrimah

    2011-03-01

    In this paper we introduce a custom scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) that simultaneously collects reflection and transmission near-field images along with topography. This dual-optical SNOM uses a bent probe, which allows for axial reflection imaging, accurate surface scanning, and easy identification of topographic artifacts. Using this novel dual-optical SNOM, we image desiccated and non-desiccated human breast epithelial tissue. By comparing the simultaneous SNOM images, we isolate the effects of tissue morphology and variations in refractive indices on the forward- and back-scattering of light from the tissue. We find that the reduction in back-scattering from tissue, relative to the glass slide, is caused by dense packing of the scattering sites in the cytoplasm (morphology) in the desiccated tissue and a thin-film of water adhering to the glass slide (refractive index) in the non-desiccated tissue sample. Our work demonstrates the potential of our customized dual-optical SNOM system for label-free tissue diagnostics. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Imaging breast adipose and fibroglandular tissue molecular signatures by using hybrid MRI-guided near-infrared spectral tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooksby, Ben; Pogue, Brian W.; Jiang, Shudong; Dehghani, Hamid; Srinivasan, Subhadra; Kogel, Christine; Tosteson, Tor D.; Weaver, John; Poplack, Steven P.; Paulsen, Keith D.

    2006-06-01

    Magnetic resonance (MR)-guided near-infrared spectral tomography was developed and used to image adipose and fibroglandular breast tissue of 11 normal female subjects, recruited under an institutional review board-approved protocol. Images of hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, water fraction, and subcellular scattering were reconstructed and show that fibroglandular fractions of both blood and water are higher than in adipose tissue. Variation in adipose and fibroglandular tissue composition between individuals was not significantly different across the scattered and dense breast categories. Combined MR and near-infrared tomography provides fundamental molecular information about these tissue types with resolution governed by MR T1 images. hemoglobin | magnetic resonance imaging | water | fat | oxygen saturation

  12. Glucose diffusion in colorectal mucosa—a comparative study between normal and cancer tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Sónia; Gueiral, Nuno; Nogueira, Elisabete; Henrique, Rui; Oliveira, Luís; Tuchin, Valery V.

    2017-09-01

    Colorectal carcinoma is a major health concern worldwide and its high incidence and mortality require accurate screening methods. Following endoscopic examination, polyps must be removed for histopathological characterization. Aiming to contribute to the improvement of current endoscopy methods of colorectal carcinoma screening or even for future development of laser treatment procedures, we studied the diffusion properties of glucose and water in colorectal healthy and pathological mucosa. These parameters characterize the tissue dehydration and the refractive index matching mechanisms of optical clearing (OC). We used ex vivo tissues to measure the collimated transmittance spectra and thickness during treatments with OC solutions containing glucose in different concentrations. These time dependencies allowed for estimating the diffusion time and diffusion coefficient values of glucose and water in both types of tissues. The measured diffusion times for glucose in healthy and pathological mucosa samples were 299.2±4.7 s and 320.6±10.6 s for 40% and 35% glucose concentrations, respectively. Such a difference indicates a slower glucose diffusion in cancer tissues, which originate from their ability to trap far more glucose than healthy tissues. We have also found a higher free water content in cancerous tissue that is estimated as 64.4% instead of 59.4% for healthy mucosa.

  13. Water-Yield Relations of Drip Irrigated Watermelon in Temperate Climatic Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pejić Borivoj

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the study, conducted in Vojvodina a northern part of the Serbia Republic, was to analyse the effect of drip irrigation on yield, evapotranspiration and water productivity of watermelon (Cirullus lanatus Thunb. grown with plasticulture. Irrigation was scheduled on the basis of water balance method. Daily evapotranspiration was computed using the reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient. The yield of watermelon in irrigation conditions (37,28 t/ha was significantly higher compared to non irrigated (9,98 t/ha. Water used on evapotranspiration in irrigation conditions was 398 mm and 117 mm on non irrigated variant. The crop yield response factor of 1,04 for the whole growing season reveals that relative yield decrease was nearly equal to the rate of evapotranspiration deficit. The values of irrigation water use efficiency and evapotranspiration water use efficiency were 9,93 kg/m3 and 10,29 kg/m3 respectively. The determined results could be used as a good platform for watermelon growers in the region, in terms of improvement of the optimum utilization of irrigation water.

  14. Leg tissue composition and physico-chemical parameters of sheep meat fed annatto coproduct

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorgival Morais de Lima Júnior

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Our objective was to evaluate leg tissue composition and physico-chemical quality parameters of sheep meat fed with increasing levels of annatto coproduct. 32 male uncastrated animals without a defined breed were randomized in four treatments (0, 100, 200 and 300 g kg-1 of annatto coproduct in the DM diet. After 78 days of confinement, the animals were slaughtered and body components were recorded. Reconstituted leg weight, total muscle weight, biceps weight and semitendinosus weight showed a negative linear behavior (P 0.05 were found for leg tissue composition (%, muscle:bone ratio, relative fat or leg muscle. Meat physico-chemical parameters (color, shear force, water retention capacity and cooking losses were not affected by the inclusion of the annatto coproduct in the diet. The annatto coproduct can be included in up to 300 g kg-1 of dietary dry matter without negative effects to the leg tissue composition (% and physical parameters of confined sheep meat.

  15. Transfer parameters in the water/forage/moose pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-07-01

    Moose tissue samples and associated water and drinking water samples were collected from the Serpent River Drainage Area (Study Area) and outside of the watershed (Controls) during the fall of 1985. The concentrations of lead-210, polonium-210, radium-226, thorium and uranium were determined for both the study area and control samples. The radionuclide radium-226 was evaluated in the drinking water, vegetation and moose tissue to determine concentration factors. No statistical difference was found between study and control samples. Concentration factors from vegetation to moose tissue were found to range from 0.036 to 3.03 depending upon tissue type. Radionuclide concentrations found in this study were shown to be within known background levels. 2 maps

  16. A multiscale description of growth and transport in biological tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grillo A.

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available We study a growing biological tissue as an open biphasic mixture with mass exchange between phases. The solid phase is identified with the matrix of a porous medium, while the fluid phase is comprised of water, together with all the dissolved chemical substances coexisting in the pore space. We assume that chemical substances evolve according to transport mechanisms determined by kinematical and constitutive relations, and we propose to consider growth as a process able to influence transport by continuously varying the thermo-mechanic state of the tissue. By focusing on the case of anisotropic growth, we show that such an influence occurs through a continuous rearrangement of the tissue material symmetries. In order to illustrate this interaction, we restrict ourselves to diffusion-dominated transport, and we assume that the time-scales associated with growth and the transport process of interest are largely separated. This allows for performing an asymptotic analysis of the "field equations" of the system. In this framework, we provide a formal solution of the transport equation in terms of its associated Green's function, and we show how the macroscopic concentration of a given chemical substance is "modulated" by anisotropic growth. .

  17. Visualizing tissue molecular structure of a black type of canola (Brassica) seed with a thick seed coat after heat-related processing in a chemical way.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Peiqiang

    2013-02-20

    Heat-related processing of cereal grains, legume seeds, and oil seeds could be used to improve nutrient availability in ruminants. However, different types of processing may have a different impact on intrinsic structure of tissues. To date, there is little research on structure changes after processing within intact tissues. The synchrotron-based molecular imaging technique enables us to detect inherent structure change on a molecular level. The objective of this study was to visualize tissue of black-type canola (Brassica) seed with a thick seed coat after heat-related processing in a chemical way using the synchrotron imaging technique. The results showed that the chemical images of protein amides were obtained through the imaging technique for the raw, wet, and dry heated black type of canola seed tissues. It seems that different types of processing have a different impact on the protein spectral profile in the black type of canola tissues. Wet heating had a greater impact on the protein α-helix to β-sheet ratio than dry heating. Both dry and wet heating resulted in different patterns in amide I, the second derivative, and FSD spectra. However, the exact differences in the tissue images are relatively difficult to be obtained through visual comparison. Future studies should focus on (1) comparing the response and sensitivity of canola seeds to various processing methods between the yellow-type and black-type of canola seeds; (2) developing a sensitive method to compare the image difference between tissues and between treatments; (3) developing a method to link images to nutrient digestion, and (4) revealing how structure changes affect nutrient absorption in humans and animals.

  18. A new bioheat equation and its application to peripheral tissue and whole limb heat transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weinbaum, S.

    1987-01-01

    Much of the mathematical modeling of heat transfer in perfused tissue over the past three decades has been based on the Pennes bioheat equation. This equation assumes that blood at the local arterial supply temperature reaches the capillaries where the primary thermal equilibration occurs because of the large surface area available for heat exchange. While this argument is correct for gas, water and solute transport, recent theoretical and experimental studies have shown that virtually no heat exchange occurs in vessels under 100 μm and that the primary mechanism for microvascular heat exchange is the imperfect heat exchange between the larger paired countercurrent microvessels that occur 3 to 6 generations prior to the capillaries. A new fundamental bioheat equations has been derived to describe this heat transfer mechanism. This equation contains a basic new expression for the thermal conductivity of perfused tissue which depends on the geometry and flow in the largest microvessels of the local tissue element and the direction of the vessels relative to the local tissue temperature gradient. Although the new equation appears to be complicated, it is shown that it can be applied with relative ease to a host of problems previously treated by the Pennes equation

  19. 226Ra and other radionuclides in water, vegetation, and tissues of beavers (Castor canadensis) from a watershed containing U tailings neat Elliot Lake, Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clulow, F.V.; Mirka, M.A.; Dave, N.K.; Lim, T.P.

    1991-01-01

    Radionuclide levels were measured in tissues, gut contents, diet items, and water at site of capture, of adult beavers from the Serpent River drainage basin which contains U tailings at Elliot Lake, Ontario, and from nearby control sites. Levels of 226 Ra in beaver bone, muscle and kidney were highest in animals from locations close to U tailing; liver levels did not vary by site. Environmental 226 Ra levels were within ranges previously reported at these or similar locations elsewhere; levels in beaver gut contents reflected levels in diet items. Concentration ratios exceeded unity only between some vegetation items and beaver bone at the Elliot Lake site and were less than 0.19 between vegetation and other tissues. In two beavers with tissue levels of 226 Ra higher than others sampled, neither 232 Th nor 230 Th were detected in bone, muscle or liver tissues. U-238 was measurable in bone, muscle and liver; 228 Th in bone, 210 Po bone, muscle and liver; and 210 Pb was measurable only in bone. Estimated yearly intakes of radionuclides by people eating beavers were calculated to be below current allowable levels set by the Canadian regulatory authorities. (author)

  20. Brown adipose tissue in cetacean blubber.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Osamu Hashimoto

    Full Text Available Brown adipose tissue (BAT plays an important role in thermoregulation in species living in cold environments, given heat can be generated from its chemical energy reserves. Here we investigate the existence of BAT in blubber in four species of delphinoid cetacean, the Pacific white-sided and bottlenose dolphins, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens and Tursiops truncates, and Dall's and harbour porpoises, Phocoenoides dalli and Phocoena phocoena. Histology revealed adipocytes with small unilocular fat droplets and a large eosinophilic cytoplasm intermingled with connective tissue in the innermost layers of blubber. Chemistry revealed a brown adipocyte-specific mitochondrial protein, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1, within these same adipocytes, but not those distributed elsewhere throughout the blubber. Western blot analysis of extracts from the inner blubber layer confirmed that the immunohistochemical positive reaction was specific to UCP1 and that this adipose tissue was BAT. To better understand the distribution of BAT throughout the entire cetacean body, cadavers were subjected to computed tomography (CT scanning. Resulting imagery, coupled with histological corroboration of fine tissue structure, revealed adipocytes intermingled with connective tissue in the lowest layer of blubber were distributed within a thin, highly dense layer that extended the length of the body, with the exception of the rostrum, fin and fluke regions. As such, we describe BAT effectively enveloping the cetacean body. Our results suggest that delphinoid blubber could serve a role additional to those frequently attributed to it: simple insulation blanket, energy storage, hydrodynamic streamlining or contributor to positive buoyancy. We believe delphinoid BAT might also function like an electric blanket, enabling animals to frequent waters cooler than blubber as an insulator alone might otherwise allow an animal to withstand, or allow animals to maintain body temperature in cool

  1. 12 Trace Metals Distribution in Fish Tissues, Bottom Sediments and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    `123456789jkl''''#

    Abstract. Water samples, bottom sediments, Tilapia, and Cat Fish from Okumeshi River in Delta state of Nigeria were analysed ... Keywords: Trace metals, Fish Tissues, Water, Bottom sediments, Okumeshi River. Introduction ..... Grey Mangroove Avicemmia marina (Forsk). ... sewage treatment plant oulet pipe extension on.

  2. Heavy metals concentration in various tissues of two freshwater ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Heavy metals like cadmium, zinc, copper, chromium, lead and mercury were measured in the various tissues of Labeo rohita and Channa striatus and in the water samples collected from ... The values of heavy metals concentration in the present study are within the maximum permissible levels for drinking water and fish.

  3. Concentrations of trace elements in human tissues and relation of ratios of mutual metals to the human health

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ling-wei, X.; Shao-xian, L.; Xiao-juan, Z.

    1989-01-01

    According to the experimental results, the concentrations and concentrations in order, of trace elements in human tissues among Changsha's People in China are reported. The authors particularly present that the ratios of mutual metals (M/N) in normal physiological tissues and fluids are very important factors which indicate the metabolic situations of trace elements in the body and as the indices which evaluate the situation of human health. (M and N mean the concentrations of different trace elements in the tissues or fluids, respectively.) Up to now, it is still an interesting field to study the functions of trace elements for the human health. There are previously some reports about the concentrations of trace elements in normal physiological tissues/ or organs and fluids of human body. These provide very valuable data for biological medicine. In the study presented atomic absorption method was adopted in order to determine the concentrations of Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Cd in human tissues (liver, spleen, kidney, bone, lung, pancreas, heart and artery and muscle) at autopsy. The authors suggest that trace elements, are contained in the body in an aproportional way, in normal physiological tissues and fluids, and the ratios may directly indicate metabolic situation of trace elements in the body which further reveal the mystery of trace elements for human health. Therefore, the ratios M/N as an indicator of health is more proper than that only using concentrations of trace elements. Schroeder (1973) reported that incidence of heart disease is related to the imbalance of ration Zn/Cd and Zn/Cu rather than the concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu, and the intellectual development also depends on the proper proportion among copper, cadmium, lead, zinc in the body

  4. Linking xylem water storage with anatomical parameters in five temperate tree species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jupa, Radek; Plavcová, Lenka; Gloser, Vít; Jansen, Steven

    2016-06-01

    The release of water from storage compartments to the transpiration stream is an important functional mechanism that provides the buffering of sudden fluctuations in water potential. The ability of tissues to release water per change in water potential, referred to as hydraulic capacitance, is assumed to be associated with the anatomy of storage tissues. However, information about how specific anatomical parameters determine capacitance is limited. In this study, we measured sapwood capacitance (C) in terminal branches and roots of five temperate tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies L., Quercus robur L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Tilia cordata Mill.). Capacitance was calculated separately for water released mainly from capillary (CI; open vessels, tracheids, fibres, intercellular spaces and cracks) and elastic storage compartments (CII; living parenchyma cells), corresponding to two distinct phases of the moisture release curve. We found that C was generally higher in roots than branches, with CI being 3-11 times higher than CII Sapwood density and the ratio of dead to living xylem cells were most closely correlated with C In addition, the magnitude of CI was strongly correlated with fibre/tracheid lumen area, whereas CII was highly dependent on the thickness of axial parenchyma cell walls. Our results indicate that water released from capillary compartments predominates over water released from elastic storage in both branches and roots, suggesting the limited importance of parenchyma cells for water storage in juvenile xylem of temperate tree species. Contrary to intact organs, water released from open conduits in our small wood samples significantly increased CI at relatively high water potentials. Linking anatomical parameters with the hydraulic capacitance of a tissue contributes to a better understanding of water release mechanisms and their implications for plant hydraulics. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights

  5. The role of acoustic nonlinearity in tissue heating behind a rib cage using a high-intensity focused ultrasound phased array

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuldashev, Petr V.; Shmeleva, Svetlana M.; Ilyin, Sergey A.; Sapozhnikov, Oleg A.; Gavrilov, Leonid R.; Khokhlova, Vera A.

    2013-04-01

    The goal of this study was to investigate theoretically the effects of nonlinear propagation in a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) field produced by a therapeutic phased array and the resultant heating of tissue behind a rib cage. Three configurations of focusing were simulated: in water, in water with ribs in the beam path and in water with ribs backed by a layer of soft tissue. The Westervelt equation was used to model the nonlinear HIFU field, and a 1 MHz phased array consisting of 254 circular elements was used as a boundary condition to the model. The temperature rise in tissue was modelled using the bioheat equation, and thermally necrosed volumes were calculated using the thermal dose formulation. The shapes of lesions predicted by the modelling were compared with those previously obtained in in vitro experiments at low-power sonications. Intensity levels at the face of the array elements that corresponded to the formation of high-amplitude shock fronts in the focal region were determined as 10 W cm-2 in the free field in water and 40 W cm-2 in the presence of ribs. It was shown that exposures with shocks provided a substantial increase in tissue heating, and its better spatial localization in the main focal region only. The relative effects of overheating ribs and splitting of the focus due to the periodic structure of the ribs were therefore reduced. These results suggest that utilizing nonlinear propagation and shock formation effects can be beneficial for inducing confined HIFU lesions when irradiating through obstructions such as ribs. Design of compact therapeutic arrays to provide maximum power outputs with lower intensity levels at the elements is necessary to achieve shock wave regimes for clinically relevant sonication depths in tissue.

  6. Abscisic Acid Accumulation by Roots of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. in Relation to Water Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornish, K; Zeevaart, J A

    1985-11-01

    Plants of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv ;Rheinlands Ruhm' were grown in solution culture, and control and steam-girdled intact plants were stressed. Detached roots of both species were stressed to different extents in two ways: (a) either in warm air or, (b) in the osmoticum Aquacide III. The roots of both species produced and accumulated progressively more abscisic acid (ABA), the greater the stress inflicted by either method. ABA-glucose ester levels in Xanthium roots were not affected by water stress and were too low to be the source of the stress-induced ABA. The fact that ABA accumulated in detached roots and in roots of girdled plants proves that ABA was synthesized in the roots and not merely transported from the shoots.Maximum ABA accumulation in detached roots occurred after 60 to 70% loss of fresh weight. In Xanthium roots, ABA levels continued to increase for at least 11 hours, and no catabolism was apparent when stressed roots were immersed in water, although the roots did stop accumulating ABA. When osmotically stressed, Xanthium roots reached a maximum ABA level after 2 hours, but ABA continued to rise in the medium.Under optimal stress conditions, endogenous ABA levels increased 100 times over their prestress values in detached roots of Xanthium, and 15 times in Lycopersicon under nonoptimal stress, when endogenous ABA was expressed as concentrations based on tissue water content. These are much greater relative increases than observed in the leaves (15 times in Xanthium, 3 times in Lycopersicon), although the roots contain substantially less ABA than the leaves in all circumstances. The results suggest that the endogenous level of ABA in roots could rise appreciably prior to leaf wilt, and could modify the plant's water economy before the leaves become stressed.

  7. Drought Resilience of Water Supplies for Shale Gas Extraction and Related Power Generation in Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reedy, R. C.; Scanlon, B. R.; Nicot, J. P.; Uhlman, K.

    2014-12-01

    There is considerable concern about water availability to support energy production in Texas, particularly considering that many of the shale plays are in semiarid areas of Texas and the state experienced the most extreme drought on record in 2011. The Eagle Ford shale play provides an excellent case study. Hydraulic fracturing water use for shale gas extraction in the play totaled ~ 12 billion gallons (bgal) in 2012, representing ~7 - 10% of total water use in the 16 county play area. The dominant source of water is groundwater which is not highly vulnerable to drought from a recharge perspective because water is primarily stored in the confined portion of aquifers that were recharged thousands of years ago. Water supply drought vulnerability results primarily from increased water use for irrigation. Irrigation water use in the Eagle Ford play was 30 billion gallons higher in the 2011 drought year relative to 2010. Recent trends toward increased use of brackish groundwater for shale gas extraction in the Eagle Ford also reduce pressure on fresh water resources. Evaluating the impacts of natural gas development on water resources should consider the use of natural gas in power generation, which now represents 50% of power generation in Texas. Water consumed in extracting the natural gas required for power generation is equivalent to ~7% of the water consumed in cooling these power plants in the state. However, natural gas production from shale plays can be overall beneficial in terms of water resources in the state because natural gas combined cycle power generation decreases water consumption by ~60% relative to traditional coal, nuclear, and natural gas plants that use steam turbine generation. This reduced water consumption enhances drought resilience of power generation in the state. In addition, natural gas combined cycle plants provide peaking capacity that complements increasing renewable wind generation which has no cooling water requirement. However, water

  8. Mouse arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase genotype affects metabolism and tissue dosimetry of arsenicals after arsenite administration in drinking water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Baowei; Arnold, Lora L; Cohen, Samuel M; Thomas, David J; Le, X Chris

    2011-12-01

    Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (As3mt) catalyzes methylation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) producing a number of methylated arsenic metabolites. Although methylation has been commonly considered a pathway for detoxification of arsenic, some highly reactive methylated arsenicals may contribute to toxicity associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic. Here, adult female wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and female As3mt knockout (KO) mice received drinking water that contained 1, 10, or 25 ppm (mg/l) of arsenite for 33 days and blood, liver, kidney, and lung were taken for arsenic speciation. Genotype markedly affected concentrations of arsenicals in tissues. Summed concentrations of arsenicals in plasma were higher in WT than in KO mice; in red blood cells, summed concentrations of arsenicals were higher in KO than in WT mice. In liver, kidney, and lung, summed concentrations of arsenicals were greater in KO than in WT mice. Although capacity for arsenic methylation is much reduced in KO mice, some mono-, di-, and tri-methylated arsenicals were found in tissues of KO mice, likely reflecting the activity of other tissue methyltransferases or preabsorptive metabolism by the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract. These results show that the genotype for arsenic methylation determines the phenotypes of arsenic retention and distribution and affects the dose- and organ-dependent toxicity associated with exposure to inorganic arsenic.

  9. Growth and water relations of Kentucky coffee tree in protective shelters during establishment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kjelgren, R.

    1994-01-01

    Growth and water relations of Kentucky coffee tree [Gymnocladus dioica (L.) K. Koch] whips in translucent tubelike shelters were investigated. In a container study, 1.2-m-high shelters were placed over whips following transplanting, then diurnal microclimate, water relations, and water use were measured. Shelter air temperature and vapor pressure were substantially higher, and solar radiation was 70% lower, than ambient conditions. Sheltered trees responded with nearly three-times higher stomatal conductance than nonsheltered trees. However, due to substantially lower boundary layer conductance created by the shelter, normalized water use was 40% lower. In a second experiment, same-sized shelters were placed on whips following spring transplanting in the field. Predawn and midday leaf water potentials and midday stomatal conductance (g(s)) were monitored periodically through the season, and growth was measured in late summer. Midday g(s) was also much higher in field-grown trees with shelters than in those without. Sheltered trees in the field had four times greater terminal shoot elongation but 40% less stem diameter growth. Attenuated radiation in the shelters and lower-specific leaf area of sheltered trees indicated shade acclimation. Shelters can improve height and reduce water loss during establishment in a field nursery, but they do not allow for sufficient trunk growth

  10. Highly transparent triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting water-related energy reinforced by antireflection coating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Qijie; Yan, Xiaoqin; Gu, Yousong; Zhang, Kui; Liang, Mengyuan; Lu, Shengnan; Zheng, Xin; Zhang, Yue

    2015-03-01

    Water-related energy is an inexhaustible and renewable energy resource in our environment, which has huge amount of energy and is not largely dictated by daytime and sunlight. The transparent characteristic plays a key role in practical applications for some devices designed for harvesting water-related energy. In this paper, a highly transparent triboelectric nanogenerator (T-TENG) was designed to harvest the electrostatic energy from flowing water. The instantaneous output power density of the T-TENG is 11.56 mW/m2. Moreover, with the PTFE film acting as an antireflection coating, the maximum transmittance of the fabricated T-TENG is 87.4%, which is larger than that of individual glass substrate. The T-TENG can be integrated with silicon-based solar cell, building glass and car glass, which demonstrates its potential applications for harvesting waste water energy in our living environment and on smart home system and smart car system.

  11. Heavy metal contaminants in tissues of the garfish, Belone belone L., 1761, and the bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix L., 1766, from Turkey waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Türkmen, Aysun; Tepe, Yalçin; Türkmen, Mustafa; Mutlu, Ekrem

    2009-01-01

    Levels of contaminants in fish are of particular interest because of the potential risk to humans who consume them. Fish samples were collected through the coastal waters of Turkey and the contents of cadmium, cobalt, chrome, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, zinc and lead in the liver and muscle tissues were determined. Among the metals analyzed, copper, zinc and iron were the most abundant in the different tissues while cadmium and lead were the least abundant both in Belone belone and Pomatomus saltatrix. Metal concentrations in muscles of fish species were found 0.01-0.38 mg kg(-1) for cadmium, 0.01-0.53 mg kg(-1) for cobalt, 0.05-1.87 mg kg(-1) for chromium, 0.21-5.89 mg kg(-1) for copper, 9.99-43.3 mg kg(-1) for iron, 0.14-1.33 mg kg(-1) for manganese, 0.06-4.70 mg kg(-1) for nickel, 0.09-0.81 mg kg(-1) for lead, 3.85-15.9 mg kg(-1) for zinc, respectively. Regional changes in metal concentration were observed in the tissues of both species, but these variations may not influence consumption advisories.

  12. Tissue-Related Hypoxia Attenuates Proinflammatory Effects of Allogeneic PBMCs on Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells In Vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Polina I. Bobyleva

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Human adipose tissue-stromal derived cells (ASCs are considered a perspective tool for regenerative medicine. Depending on the application mode ASC/allogeneic immune cell interaction can occur in the systemic circulation under plenty high concentrations of O2 and in target tissues at lower O2 levels. Here we examined the effects of allogeneic PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs on ASCs under ambient (20% oxygen and “physiological” hypoxia (5% O2. As revealed with microarray analysis ASCs under 20% O2 were more affected by activated PBMCs, which was manifested in differential expression of more than 300 genes, whereas under 5% O2 only 140 genes were changed. Altered gene pattern was only partly overlapped at different O2 conditions. Under O2 ASCs retained their proliferative and differentiative capacities, mesenchymal phenotype, and intracellular organelle’ state. ASCs were proinflammatory activated on transcription level that was confirmed by their ability to suppress activation and proliferation of mitogen-stimulated PBMCs. ASC/PBMCs interaction resulted in anti-inflammatory shift of paracrine mediators in conditioning medium with significant increase of immunosuppressive LIF level. Our data indicated that under both ambient and tissue-related O2 ASCs possessed immunosuppressive potential and maintained functional activity. Under “physiological” hypoxia ASCs were less susceptible to “priming” by allogeneic mitogen-activated PBMCs.

  13. Multi-dimensional TOF-SIMS analysis for effective profiling of disease-related ions from the tissue surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Ji-Won; Jeong, Hyobin; Kang, Byeongsoo; Kim, Su Jin; Park, Sang Yoon; Kang, Sokbom; Kim, Hark Kyun; Choi, Joon Sig; Hwang, Daehee; Lee, Tae Geol

    2015-06-05

    Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) emerges as a promising tool to identify the ions (small molecules) indicative of disease states from the surface of patient tissues. In TOF-SIMS analysis, an enhanced ionization of surface molecules is critical to increase the number of detected ions. Several methods have been developed to enhance ionization capability. However, how these methods improve identification of disease-related ions has not been systematically explored. Here, we present a multi-dimensional SIMS (MD-SIMS) that combines conventional TOF-SIMS and metal-assisted SIMS (MetA-SIMS). Using this approach, we analyzed cancer and adjacent normal tissues first by TOF-SIMS and subsequently by MetA-SIMS. In total, TOF- and MetA-SIMS detected 632 and 959 ions, respectively. Among them, 426 were commonly detected by both methods, while 206 and 533 were detected uniquely by TOF- and MetA-SIMS, respectively. Of the 426 commonly detected ions, 250 increased in their intensities by MetA-SIMS, whereas 176 decreased. The integrated analysis of the ions detected by the two methods resulted in an increased number of discriminatory ions leading to an enhanced separation between cancer and normal tissues. Therefore, the results show that MD-SIMS can be a useful approach to provide a comprehensive list of discriminatory ions indicative of disease states.

  14. Can we relate respiration rates of bark and wood with tissue nitrogen concentrations and branch-level CO2 fluxes across woody species?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eller, A. S.; Wright, I.; Cernusak, L. A.

    2013-12-01

    Respiration from above-ground woody tissue is generally responsible for 5-15% of ecosystem respiration (~ 30% of total above-ground respiration). The CO2 respired by branches comes from both the sapwood and the living layers within the bark, but because there is considerable movement of respired CO2 within woody tissues (e.g. in the transpiration stream), and because the bark can present a considerable barrier to CO2 diffusion, it can be difficult to interpret measured CO2 efflux from intact branches in relation to the respiration rates of the component tissues, and to relative mass allocation to each. In this study we investigated these issues in 15 evergreen tree and shrub species native to the Sydney area in eastern Australia. We measured CO2 efflux and light-dependent refixation of respired CO2 in photosynthetic bark from the exterior surfaces of branches (0.5-1.5 cm in diameter), and measured the tissue-specific respiration rates of the bark and wood from those same branches. We also measured the nitrogen content and tissue density of the wood and bark to determine: 1) Among species, what is the relationship between %N and tissue respiration? 2) How is photosynthetic refixation of CO2 related to respiration and %N in the bark and underlying wood? and 3) What is the relationship between branch CO2 efflux and the respiration rates of the underlying wood and bark that make up the branch? Across the 15 species %N was a better predictor of respiration in wood than in bark. CO2 efflux measured from the exterior of the stem in the dark was positively correlated with photosynthetic refixation and explained ~40% of the variation in rates of refixation. Refixation rates were not strongly related to bark or wood %N. Differences among species in CO2 efflux rates were not well explained by differences in bark or wood %N and there was a stronger relationship between bark respiration and CO2 efflux than between wood respiration and CO2 efflux. These results suggest that the

  15. 78 FR 18562 - Economic and Environmental Principles and Requirements for Water and Related Land Resources...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-27

    ... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Economic and Environmental Principles and Requirements for Water... ``Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation... Secretary of the Army to revise the ``Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and...

  16. Pulmonary ultrasound elastography: a feasibility study with phantoms and ex-vivo tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Man Minh; Xie, Hua; Paluch, Kamila; Stanton, Douglas; Ramachandran, Bharat

    2013-03-01

    Elastography has become widely used for minimally invasive diagnosis in many tumors as seen with breast, liver and prostate. Among different modalities, ultrasound-based elastography stands out due to its advantages including being safe, real-time, and relatively low-cost. While lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among both men and women, the use of ultrasound elastography for lung cancer diagnosis has hardly been investigated due to the limitations of ultrasound in air. In this work, we investigate the use of static-compression based endobronchial ultrasound elastography by a 3D trans-oesophageal echocardiography (TEE) transducer for lung cancer diagnosis. A water-filled balloon was designed to 1) improve the visualization of endobronchial ultrasound and 2) to induce compression via pumping motion inside the trachea and bronchiole. In a phantom study, we have successfully generated strain images indicating the stiffness difference between the gelatin background and agar inclusion. A similar strain ratio was confirmed with Philips ultrasound strain-based elastography product. For ex-vivo porcine lung study, different tissue ablation methods including chemical injection, Radio Frequency (RF) ablation, and direct heating were implemented to achieve tumor-mimicking tissue. Stiff ablated lung tissues were obtained and detected with our proposed method. These results suggest the feasibility of pulmonary elastography to differentiate stiff tumor tissue from normal tissue.

  17. MINERAL WATER FROM SUPERMARKET VS. TAP WATER. SOME CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO INNOCUITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciprian – Nicolae POPA

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available 15 Romanian brands of mineral water were purchased from hypermarket. For each of the 15 mineral waters were determined the content of nitrates, nitrites and pH. The data obtained were compared with the content of nitrates, nitrites and pH of the tap water collected in 15 locations in Bucharest, according to data released by the Apa Nova operator. The results showed that the mean of tap water pH in Bucharest, although slightly higher than the tested mineral waters pH, did not differ significantly from the mean of mineral waters pH, being situated in the alkaline domain. The mean content of nitrates in tap water in Bucharest, did not differ significantly from that of the tested mineral waters (t = 0.811. Nitrates content of tap water in Bucharest was significantly distinct less, as the pH was higher (r = 0.68**. Basically, the change in pH by one unit, lowers the amount of nitrate by 46%. Bucharest tap water nitrites content was significantly lower than that of tested mineral waters (0.005 mg/l to 0.0124; t = 2.674*. Basically, Bucharest tap water contained up to 2.5 times less nitrites than the nitrites mean of tested mineral waters.

  18. Biochemical composition of muscle tissue of penaeid prawns

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Achuthankutty, C.T.; Parulekar, A.H.

    Biochemical composition of muscle tissue of females belonging to four species of penaeid prawns, viz. Metapenaeus affinis, M. dobsoni, Penaeus merguiensis and Parapenaeopsis stylifera, inhabiting the coastal waters of Goa, India, was estimated...

  19. Selected regulation of gastrointestinal acid-base secretion and tissue metabolism for the diamondback water snake and Burmese python.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Secor, Stephen M; Taylor, Josi R; Grosell, Martin

    2012-01-01

    manifested in a depressed gastric and intestinal metabolism, which selectively serves to reduce basal metabolism and hence promote survival between infrequent meals. By maintaining elevated GI performance between meals, fasted water snakes incur the additional cost of tissue activity, which is expressed in a higher standard metabolic rate.

  20. Tissue type plasminogen activator regulates myeloid-cell dependent neoangiogenesis during tissue regeneration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ohki, Makiko; Ohki, Yuichi; Ishihara, Makoto

    2010-01-01

    tissue regeneration is not well understood. Bone marrow (BM)-derived myeloid cells facilitate angiogenesis during tissue regeneration. Here, we report that a serpin-resistant form of tPA by activating the extracellular proteases matrix metalloproteinase-9 and plasmin expands the myeloid cell pool......-A. Remarkably, transplantation of BM-derived tPA-mobilized CD11b(+) cells and VEGFR-1(+) cells, but not carrier-mobilized cells or CD11b(-) cells, accelerates neovascularization and ischemic tissue regeneration. Inhibition of VEGF signaling suppresses tPA-induced neovascularization in a model of hind limb...... and mobilizes CD45(+)CD11b(+) proangiogenic, myeloid cells, a process dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) and Kit ligand signaling. tPA improves the incorporation of CD11b(+) cells into ischemic tissues and increases expression of neoangiogenesis-related genes, including VEGF...

  1. Probability of cavitation for single ultrasound pulses applied to tissues and tissue-mimicking materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxwell, Adam D; Cain, Charles A; Hall, Timothy L; Fowlkes, J Brian; Xu, Zhen

    2013-03-01

    In this study, the negative pressure values at which inertial cavitation consistently occurs in response to a single, two-cycle, focused ultrasound pulse were measured in several media relevant to cavitation-based ultrasound therapy. The pulse was focused into a chamber containing one of the media, which included liquids, tissue-mimicking materials, and ex vivo canine tissue. Focal waveforms were measured by two separate techniques using a fiber-optic hydrophone. Inertial cavitation was identified by high-speed photography in optically transparent media and an acoustic passive cavitation detector. The probability of cavitation (P(cav)) for a single pulse as a function of peak negative pressure (p(-)) followed a sigmoid curve, with the probability approaching one when the pressure amplitude was sufficient. The statistical threshold (defined as P(cav) = 0.5) was between p(-) = 26 and 30 MPa in all samples with high water content but varied between p(-) = 13.7 and >36 MPa in other media. A model for radial cavitation bubble dynamics was employed to evaluate the behavior of cavitation nuclei at these pressure levels. A single bubble nucleus with an inertial cavitation threshold of p(-) = 28.2 megapascals was estimated to have a 2.5 nm radius in distilled water. These data may be valuable for cavitation-based ultrasound therapy to predict the likelihood of cavitation at various pressure levels and dimensions of cavitation-induced lesions in tissue. Copyright © 2013 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Nonlinear ultrasound propagation through layered liquid and tissue-equivalent media: computational and experimental results at high frequency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, Ross; Cherin, Emmanuel; Lam, Toby Y J; Tavakkoli, Jahangir; Zemp, Roger J; Foster, F Stuart

    2006-01-01

    Nonlinear propagation has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on ultrasound imaging. An efficient computational algorithm is presented to simulate nonlinear ultrasound propagation through layered liquid and tissue-equivalent media. Results are compared with hydrophone measurements. This study was undertaken to investigate the role of nonlinear propagation in high frequency ultrasound micro-imaging. The acoustic field of a focused transducer (20 MHz centre frequency, f-number 2.5) was simulated for layered media consisting of water and tissue-mimicking phantom, for several wide-bandwidth source pulses. The simulation model accounted for the effects of diffraction, attenuation and nonlinearity, with transmission and refraction at layer boundaries. The parameter of nonlinearity, B/A, of the water and tissue-mimicking phantom were assumed to be 5.2 and 7.4, respectively. The experimentally measured phantom B/A value found using a finite-amplitude insert-substitution method was shown to be 7.4 ± 0.6. Relative amounts of measured second and third harmonic pressures as a function of the fundamental pressures at the focus were in good agreement with simulations. Agreement within 3% was found between measurements and simulations of the beam widths of the fundamental and second harmonic signals following propagation through the tissue phantom. The results demonstrate significant nonlinear propagation effects for high frequency imaging beams

  3. A dynamic model to calculate cadmium concentrations in bovine tissues from basic soil characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waegeneers, Nadia; Ruttens, Ann; De Temmerman, Ludwig

    2011-01-01

    A chain model was developed to calculate the flow of cadmium from soil, drinking water and feed towards bovine tissues. The data used for model development were tissue Cd concentrations of 57 bovines and Cd concentrations in soil, feed and drinking water, sampled at the farms were the bovines were reared. Validation of the model occurred with a second set of measured tissue Cd concentrations of 93 bovines of which age and farm location were known. The exposure part of the chain model consists of two parts: (1) a soil-plant transfer model, deriving cadmium concentrations in feed from basic soil characteristics (pH and organic matter content) and soil Cd concentrations, and (2) bovine intake calculations, based on typical feed and water consumption patterns for cattle and Cd concentrations in feed and drinking water. The output of the exposure model is an animal-specific average daily Cd intake, which is then taken forward to a kinetic uptake model in which time-dependent Cd concentrations in bovine tissues are calculated. The chain model was able to account for 65%, 42% and 32% of the variation in observed kidney, liver and meat Cd concentrations in the validation study. - Research highlights: → Cadmium transfer from soil, drinking water and feed to bovine tissues was modeled. → The model was based on 57 bovines and corresponding feed and soil Cd concentrations. → The model was validated with an independent data set of 93 bovines. → The model explained 65% of variation in kidney Cd in the validation study.

  4. Tylosin depletion in edible tissues of turkeys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montesissa, C; De Liguoro, M; Santi, A; Capolongo, F; Biancotto, G

    1999-10-01

    The depletion of tylosin residues in edible turkey tissues was followed after 3 days of administration of tylosin tartrate at 500 mg l-1 in drinking water, to 30 turkeys. Immediately after the end of the treatment (day 0) and at day 1, 3, 5 and 10 of withdrawal, six turkeys (three males and three females) per time were sacrificed and samples of edible tissues were collected. Tissue homogenates were extracted, purified and analysed by HPLC according to a method previously published for the analysis of tylosin residues in pig tissues. In all tissues, tylosin residues were already below the detection limits of 50 micrograms kg-1 at time zero. However, in several samples of tissues (skin + fat, liver, kidney, muscle), from the six turkeys sacrificed at that time, one peak corresponding to an unknown tylosin equivalent was detected at measurable concentrations. The identification of this unknown compound was performed by LC-MS/MS analysis of the extracts from incurred samples. The mass fragmentation of the compound was consistent with the structure of tylosin D (the alcoholic derivative of tylosin A), the major metabolite of tylosin previously recovered and identified in tissues and/or excreta from treated chickens, cattle and pigs.

  5. Mechanical analysis of the strains generated by water tension in plant stems. Part II: strains in wood and bark and apparent compliance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alméras, Tancrède

    2008-10-01

    Tree stems shrink in diameter during the day and swell during the night in response to changes in water tension in the xylem. Stem shrinkage can easily be measured in a nondestructive way, to derive continuous information about tree water status. The relationship between the strain and the change in water tension can be evaluated by empirical calibrations, or can be related to the structure of the plant. A mechanical analysis was performed to make this relationship explicit. The stem is modeled as a cylinder made of multiple layers of tissues, including heartwood, sapwood, and inner and outer bark. The effect of changes in water tension on the apparent strain at the surface of a tissue is quantified as a function of parameters defining stem anatomy and the mechanical properties of the tissues. Various possible applications in the context of tree physiology are suggested.

  6. Changes in diffusion properties of biological tissues associated with mechanical strain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanaka, Kenichiro; Imae, T.; Mima, Kazuo; Sekino, Masaki; Ohsaki, Hiroyuki; Ueno, Shogo

    2007-01-01

    Mechanical strain in biological tissues causes a change in the diffusion properties of water molecules. This paper proposes a method of estimating mechanical strain in biological tissues using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Measurements were carried out on uncompressed and compressed chicken skeletal muscles. A theoretical model of the diffusion of water molecules in muscle fibers was derived based on Tanner's equation. Diameter of the muscle fibers was estimated by fitting the model equation to the measured signals. Changes in the mean diffusivity (MD), the fractional anisotropy (FA), and diameter of the muscle fiber did not have any statistical significance. The intracellular diffusion coefficient (D int ) was changed by mechanical strain (p<.05). This method has potential applications in the quantitative evaluation of strain in biological tissues, a though it poses several technical challenges. (author)

  7. Design and operation problems related to water curtain system for underground water-sealed oil storage caverns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhongkui Li

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The underground water-sealed storage technique is critically important and generally accepted for the national energy strategy in China. Although several small underground water-sealed oil storage caverns have been built in China since the 1970s, there is still a lack of experience for large-volume underground storage in complicated geological conditions. The current design concept of water curtain system and the technical instruction for system operation have limitations in maintaining the stability of surrounding rock mass during the construction of the main storage caverns, as well as the long-term stability. Although several large-scale underground oil storage projects are under construction at present in China, the design concepts and construction methods, especially for the water curtain system, are mainly based on the ideal porosity medium flow theory and the experiences gained from the similar projects overseas. The storage projects currently constructed in China have the specific features such as huge scale, large depth, multiple-level arrangement, high seepage pressure, complicated geological conditions, and high in situ stresses, which are the challenging issues for the stability of the storage caverns. Based on years' experiences obtained from the first large-scale (millions of cubic meters underground water-sealed oil storage project in China, some design and operation problems related to water curtain system during project construction are discussed. The drawbacks and merits of the water curtain system are also presented. As an example, the conventional concept of “filling joints with water” is widely used in many cases, as a basic concept for the design of the water curtain system, but it is immature. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of the conventional concept are pointed out, with respect to the long-term stability as well as the safety of construction of storage caverns. Finally, new concepts and principles

  8. Impacts on quality-induced water scarcity: drivers of nitrogen-related water pollution transfer under globalization from 1995 to 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Liyang; Cai, Wenjia; Jiang, Yongkai; Wang, Can

    2016-07-01

    Globalization enables the transfer of impacts on water availability. We argue that the threat should be evaluated not only by decrease of quantity, but more importantly by the degradation of water quality in exporting countries. Grouping the world into fourteen regions, this paper establishes a multi-region input-output framework to calculate the nitrogen-related grey water footprint and a water quality-induced scarcity index caused by pollution, for the period of 1995 to 2009. It is discovered that grey water embodied in international trade has been growing faster than total grey water footprint. China, the USA and India were the three top grey water exporters which accounted for more than half the total traded grey water. Dilemma rose when China and India were facing highest grey water scarcity. The EU and the USA were biggest grey water importers that alleviated their water stress by outsourcing water pollution. A structural decomposition analysis is conducted to study the drivers to the evolution of virtual flows of grey water under globalization during the period of 1995 to 2009. The results show that despite the technical progress that offset the growth of traded grey water, structural effects under globalization including both evolution in the globalized economic system and consumption structure, together with consumption volume made a positive contribution. It is found that the structural effect intensified the pollution-induced water scarcity of exporters as it generally increased all nations’ imported grey water while resulting in increases in only a few nations’ exported grey water, such as Brazil, China and Indonesia. At last, drawing from the ‘cap-and-trade’ and ‘boarder-tax-adjustment’ schemes, we propose policy recommendations that ensure water security and achieve environmentally sustainable trade from both the sides of production and consumption.

  9. Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), the clinician,s perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yeoh, E.K.

    2011-01-01

    Full text: 3D radiation treatment planning has enabled dose distributions to be related to the volume of normal tissues irradiated. The dose volume histograms thus derived have been utilized to set NTCP dose constraints to facilitate optimization of treatment planning. However, it is not widely appreciated that a number of important variables other than DYH's which determine NTCP in the individual patient. These variables will be discussed under the headings of patient and treatment related as well as tumour related factors. Patient related factors include age, co-morbidities such as connective tissue disease and diabetes mellitus, previous tissue/organ damage, tissue architectural organization (parallel or serial), regional tissue/organ and individual tissue/organ radiosensitivities as well as the development of severe acute toxicity. Treatment related variables which need to be considered include dose per fraction (if not the conventional 1.8012.00 Gy/fraction, particularly for IMRT), number of fractions and total dose, dose rate (particularly if combined with brachytherapy) and concurrent chemotherapy or other biological dose modifiers. Tumour related factors which impact on NTCP include infiltration of normal tissue/organ usually at presentation leading to compromised function but also with recurrent disease after radiation therapy as well as variable tumour radiosensitivities between and within tumour types. Whilst evaluation of DYH data is a useful guide in the choice of treatment plan, the current state of knowledge requires the clinician to make an educated judgement based on a consideration of the other factors.

  10. Usual water-related behaviour and 'near-drowning' incidents in young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulliver, Pauline; Begg, Dorothy

    2005-06-01

    To describe usual water-related behaviour and 'near-drowning' incidents in a cohort of young New Zealand adults. This was a cross-sectional study based on data collected as part of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which is the study of a cohort (n = 1,037) born between 1 April 1972 and 31 March 1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand. The data analysed were collected at age 21 (1993/94). Each study member was given a face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. Males reported a higher level of water confidence, exposure to risk behaviours, and exposure to unsafe locations, and more 'near-drowning' incidents, than the females, but protective behaviour did not differ. Males and females who were 'confident' in the water were more likely to be exposed to unsafe water locations, and water-confident males were more likely to drink alcohol before water activities, but not boating. A total of 169 'near-drowning' incidents were reported by 141 study members (63% males). 'Near-drowning' incidents were associated with unsafe swimming environments for males (p near-drowning' incidents among a high-risk age group. Larger case-control studies are required to further investigate risk factors for 'near-drowning'. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS: Further investigation is required to determine the effectiveness of providing water skills acquisition in both safe and unsafe environments on 'near-drowning' experience.

  11. Ecotoxicity studies in Jamaican environment I. Toxicity, bioaccumulation, elimination and tissue partitioning of ethoprophos by the fish Tilapia in brackish water microcosm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, D.E.; Mansingh, A.

    1999-01-01

    The present study was conducted on the toxicity of ethoprophos to sexually mature red hybrid Tilapia. The NOEC and LOEC were 1 and 4 mg/L of ethoprophos; the 24-h LC 50 and LC 95 values were 8.41 and 21.00 mg/L. Bioconcentration of the insecticide from NOEC and LOEC in the surrounding water by the fish peaked (3.25'' 0.412 and 12.50'' 1.831 μg/g, respectively) eight to twelve hours after exposure. Bioconcentration from LOEC was 3.8-fold greater than at NOEC. The contaminated fish (after 24-h exposure to LOEC) eliminated 83% of the ethoprophos residues within 12-h exposure to uncontaminated water. The order of partitioning of ethoprophos in the different tissues of the fish was gonads > liver > gut > gills > skin-muscle-bone. (author)

  12. Preliminary assessment of using tree-tissue analysis and passive-diffusion samplers to evaluate trichloroethene contamination of ground water at Site SS-34N, McChord Air Force Base, Washington, 2001

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, S.E.

    2002-01-01

    Two low-cost innovative sampling procedures for characterizing trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in ground water were evaluated for use at McChord Air Force Base (AFB) by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force McChord Air Force Base Installation Restoration Program, in 2001. Previous attempts to characterize the source of ground-water contamination in the heterogeneous glacial outwash aquifer at McChord site SS-34N using soil-gas surveys, direct-push exploration, and more than a dozen ground-water monitoring wells have had limited success. The procedures assessed in this study involved analysis of tree-tissue samples to map underlying ground-water contamination and deploying passive-diffusion samplers to measure TCE concentrations in existing monitoring wells. These procedures have been used successfully at other U.S. Department of Defense sites and have resulted in cost avoidance and accelerated site characterization. Despite the presence of TCE in ground water at site SS-34N, TCE was not detected in any of the 20 trees sampled at the site during either early spring or late summer sampling. The reason the tree tissue procedure was not successful at the McChord AFB site SS-34N may have been due to an inability of tree roots to extract moisture from a water table 30 feet below the land surface, or that concentrations of TCE in ground water were not large enough to be detectable in the tree tissue at the sampling point. Passive-diffusion samplers were placed near the top, middle, and bottom of screened intervals in three monitoring wells and TCE was observed in all samplers. Concentrations of TCE from the passive-diffusion samplers were generally similar to concentrations found in samples collected in the same wells using conventional pumping methods. In contrast to conventional pumping methods, the collection of ground-water samples using the passive-diffusion samples did not generate waste purge water that would require hazardous

  13. Structural and thermodynamic characterization of modified cellulose fiber-based materials and related interactions with water vapor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bedane, Alemayehu H., E-mail: Alemayehu.Bedane@unb.ca; Xiao, Huining, E-mail: hxiao@unb.ca; Eić, Mladen, E-mail: meic@unb.ca; Farmahini-Farahani, Madjid, E-mail: Madjid.Farahani@unb.ca

    2015-10-01

    Highlights: • Coating on paper increases the specific surface area but decreases the pore diameter. • Pore size reduction and decrease of hydrophilic property caused reduction in WVTRs. • The low monolayer moisture content of the sample is generally related to the low WVTR. • The net isosteric heats of adsorption decreased with increased sample moisture content. • FT-IR results reveal the formation of water clusters at higher relative humidities. - Abstract: In this study, the surface characteristics, water vapor interactions, and state of water adsorbed on unmodified and coated paper samples were investigated in an attempt to obtain a better understanding of the fundamental principles related to thermodynamics of this process, as well as to provide essential insight that could be used for further improvement of the papers’ barrier properties. Based on the BET measurement, the coated paper samples showed higher specific surface areas than unmodified paper; however, their mean pore diameters are smaller. The BJH method was used for pore size distribution analysis. Hydrophobic properties of the paper samples were determined from experimental isotherms, e.g., monolayer moisture content, and these results have been related to the water vapor transfer rates (WVTRs) showing a complex nature of these relations. The highest peak corresponding to the modified samples with smaller pore sizes was found to be in the range of 1–30 nm, while it was in the 30–100 nm pore size range for unmodified paper. The net isosteric heats of sorption for different unmodified and modified paper samples were determined from water vapor adsorption isotherms measured at 15, 25, and 35 °C. The net isosteric heats of sorption decreased with an increase of moisture content after reaching the maximum values at 12.53, 15.25, 14.71, 23.2, and 22.77 kJ/mol for unmodified, zein grafted, calendered coated, PLA, and PHBV coated papers, respectively. The state of adsorbed water and water

  14. Emergent material properties of developing epithelial tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Pedro F; Duque, Julia; Étienne, Jocelyn; Martinez-Arias, Alfonso; Blanchard, Guy B; Gorfinkiel, Nicole

    2015-11-23

    Force generation and the material properties of cells and tissues are central to morphogenesis but remain difficult to measure in vivo. Insight is often limited to the ratios of mechanical properties obtained through disruptive manipulation, and the appropriate models relating stress and strain are unknown. The Drosophila amnioserosa epithelium progressively contracts over 3 hours of dorsal closure, during which cell apices exhibit area fluctuations driven by medial myosin pulses with periods of 1.5-6 min. Linking these two timescales and understanding how pulsatile contractions drive morphogenetic movements is an urgent challenge. We present a novel framework to measure in a continuous manner the mechanical properties of epithelial cells in the natural context of a tissue undergoing morphogenesis. We show that the relationship between apicomedial myosin fluorescence intensity and strain during fluctuations is consistent with a linear behaviour, although with a lag. We thus used myosin fluorescence intensity as a proxy for active force generation and treated cells as natural experiments of mechanical response under cyclic loading, revealing unambiguous mechanical properties from the hysteresis loop relating stress to strain. Amnioserosa cells can be described as a contractile viscoelastic fluid. We show that their emergent mechanical behaviour can be described by a linear viscoelastic rheology at timescales relevant for tissue morphogenesis. For the first time, we establish relative changes in separate effective mechanical properties in vivo. Over the course of dorsal closure, the tissue solidifies and effective stiffness doubles as net contraction of the tissue commences. Combining our findings with those from previous laser ablation experiments, we show that both apicomedial and junctional stress also increase over time, with the relative increase in apicomedial stress approximately twice that of other obtained measures. Our results show that in an epithelial

  15. Petroleum-related contaminants near a produced water discharge site in the Santa Barbara Channel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, A.D.; Witter, A.E.; Higashi, R.M.

    1994-01-01

    Offshore oil production generates substantial quantities of waste water that is frequently discharged into marine waters. Contamination of coastal sediments occurs due to other inputs including natural petroleum seeps, and this complicates assessments of the environmental effects of produced water in marine ecosystems. The current study has focused on characterization of contaminants in sediments near produced water discharge site off the coast of Southern California. First, it was important to address the question: ''What contaminants in sediments should be monitored as indicators of produced water effects?'' Dichloromethane extracts of sediments were analyzed for numerous organic constituents using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and selected ion monitoring. Though the phenols and fatty acids were not detected in sediment extracts, normal and branched alkanes and other petroleum hydrocarbon biomarkers were quantified. No relationship was evident that related absolute concentrations of organic compounds to distance from the outfall, but patterns of petroleum hydrocarbons exhibited consistent spatial variations that could be related to distance from the produced water out fall. Analysis of chemical fossil ''biomarkers'' provides potentially useful indices of effects of waste discharges upon microbial biodegradation of organic compounds in sediments

  16. Patterns of nocturnal rehydration in root tissues of Vaccinium corymbosum L. under severe drought conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenzuela-Estrada, Luis R; Richards, James H; Diaz, Andres; Eissensat, David M

    2009-01-01

    Although roots in dry soil layers are commonly rehydrated by internal hydraulic redistribution during the nocturnal period, patterns of tissue rehydration are poorly understood. Rates of nocturnal rehydration were examined in roots of different orders in Vaccinium corymbosum L. 'Bluecrop' (Northern highbush blueberry) grown in a split-pot system with one set of roots in relatively moist soil and the other set of roots in dry soil. Vaccinium is noted for a highly branched and extremely fine root system. It is hypothesized that nocturnal root tissue rehydration would be slow, especially in the distal root orders because of their greater hydraulic constraints (smaller vessel diameters and fewer number of vessels). Vaccinium root hydraulic properties delayed internal water movement. Even when water was readily available to roots in the wet soil and transpiration was minimal, it took a whole night-time period of 12 h for the distal finest roots (1st to 4th order) under dry soil conditions to reach the same water potentials as fine roots in moist soil (1st to 4th order). Even though roots under dry soil equilibrated with roots in moist soil, the equilibrium point reached before sunrise was about -1.2 MPa, indicating that tissues were not fully rehydrated. Using a single-branch root model, it was estimated that individual roots exhibiting the lowest water potentials in dry soil were 1st order roots (distal finest roots of the root system). However, considered at the branch level, root orders with the highest hydraulic resistances corresponded to the lowest orders of the permanent root system (3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-order roots), thus indicating possible locations of hydraulic safety control in the root system of this species.

  17. Piped water consumption in Ghana: A case study of temporal and spatial patterns of clean water demand relative to alternative water sources in rural small towns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulinkina, Alexandra V; Kosinski, Karen C; Liss, Alexander; Adjei, Michael N; Ayamgah, Gilbert A; Webb, Patrick; Gute, David M; Plummer, Jeanine D; Naumova, Elena N

    2016-07-15

    Continuous access to adequate quantities of safe water is essential for human health and socioeconomic development. Piped water systems (PWSs) are an increasingly common type of water supply in rural African small towns. We assessed temporal and spatial patterns in water consumption from public standpipes of four PWSs in Ghana in order to assess clean water demand relative to other available water sources. Low water consumption was evident in all study towns, which manifested temporally and spatially. Temporal variability in water consumption that is negatively correlated with rainfall is an indicator of rainwater preference when it is available. Furthermore, our findings show that standpipes in close proximity to alternative water sources such as streams and hand-dug wells suffer further reductions in water consumption. Qualitative data suggest that consumer demand in the study towns appears to be driven more by water quantity, accessibility, and perceived aesthetic water quality, as compared to microbiological water quality or price. In settings with chronic under-utilization of improved water sources, increasing water demand through household connections, improving water quality with respect to taste and appropriateness for laundry, and educating residents about health benefits of using piped water should be prioritized. Continued consumer demand and sufficient revenue generation are important attributes of a water service that ensure its function over time. Our findings suggest that analyzing water consumption of existing metered PWSs in combination with qualitative approaches may enable more efficient planning of community-based water supplies and support sustainable development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Quantification of change in vocal fold tissue stiffness relative to depth of artificial damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohlfs, Anna-Katharina; Schmolke, Sebastian; Clauditz, Till; Hess, Markus; Müller, Frank; Püschel, Klaus; Roemer, Frank W; Schumacher, Udo; Goodyer, Eric

    2017-10-01

    To quantify changes in the biomechanical properties of human excised vocal folds with defined artificial damage. The linear skin rheometer (LSR) was used to obtain a series of rheological measurements of shear modulus from the surface of 30 human cadaver vocal folds. The tissue samples were initially measured in a native condition and then following varying intensities of thermal damage. Histological examination of each vocal fold was used to determine the depth of artificial alteration. The measured changes in stiffness were correlated with the depth of cell damage. For vocal folds in a pre-damage state the shear modulus values ranged from 537 Pa to 1,651 Pa (female) and from 583 Pa to 1,193 Pa (male). With increasing depth of damage from the intermediate layer of the lamina propria (LP), tissue stiffness increased consistently (compared with native values) following application of thermal damage to the vocal folds. The measurement showed an increase of tissue stiffness when the depth of tissue damage was extending from the intermediate LP layer downwards. Changes in the elastic characteristics of human vocal fold tissue following damage at defined depths were demonstrated in an in vitro experiment. In future, reproducible in vivo measurements of elastic vocal fold tissue alterations may enable phonosurgeons to infer the extent of subepithelial damage from changes in surface elasticity.

  19. The control of potential health risks related to drinking water in the UK

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dick, T A

    1981-04-01

    In the United Kingdom, potable water put into supply is required to be 'wholesome'. The term 'wholesome' is interpreted as clear, palatable and safe to drink. About 99% of potable supplies are provided by Regional Water Authorities and Water Companies (for England and Wales), Regional Councils and Island Councils (for Scotland) and the Department of the Environment (NI) (for Northern Ireland). These water authorities draw their raw water from upland surface waters, lowland surface waters (including lakes and rivers) and underground waters. Although each source provides approximately one-third of supply, the proportion varies considerably in different parts of the UK. Consequently the control of potential health risks related to drinking water also varies according to the source of supply. The paper describes briefly the treatment practice for the various sources, including disinfection practice. More specifically the paper describes current UK practice or developments in the control or investigation of plumbosolvency, fluoridation, nitrate, trihalomethanes, other organic micropollutants, sodium, asbestos and tar linings in pipes. The possibilities for the surveillance of the 1% of private supplies are also discussed.

  20. Volcanic flows versus water- and ice-related outburst deposits in eastern Hellas: A comparison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voelker, M.; Hauber, E.; Stephan, K.; Jaumann, R.

    2018-06-01

    Hellas Planitia is one of the major topographic sinks on Mars for the deposition of any kind of sediments. We report on our observations of sheet deposits in the eastern part of the basin that are apparently related to the Dao Vallis outflow channel. The deposits have lobate flow fronts and a thickness of a few decameters. Despite their generally smooth surface, some distinctive textures and patterns can be identified, such as longitudinal lineations, distributive channels, and polygons. We compared these deposits to other sheet deposits on Mars and tested three hypotheses of their origin: volcanic flows as well as water- and ice-related mass wastings. Despite some similarities to volcanic sheet flows on Mars, we found several morphological characteristics that are not known for sheet lava flows; for example conically arranged lineations and channel systems very similar to fluvial incisions. We also reject an ice-related formation similar to terrestrial rock-ice avalanches, as there is no sufficient relief energy to explain their extent and location. A water-related origin appears most consistent with our observations, and we favor an emplacement by fluvially-driven mass wasting processes, e.g., debris flows. Assuming a water-related origin, we calculated the amount of water that would be required to deposit such large sedimentary bodies for different flow types. Our calculations show a large range of possible water volumes, from 64 to 2,042 km³, depending on the specific flow mechanism. The close link to Dao Vallis makes these deposits a unique place to study the deposition of outflow channel sediments, as the deposits of other outflow channels on Mars, such as those around Chryse Planitia, are mostly buried by younger sediments and volcanic flows.

  1. Hierarchical Design of Tissue Regenerative Constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rose, Jonas C; De Laporte, Laura

    2018-03-01

    The worldwide shortage of organs fosters significant advancements in regenerative therapies. Tissue engineering and regeneration aim to supply or repair organs or tissues by combining material scaffolds, biochemical signals, and cells. The greatest challenge entails the creation of a suitable implantable or injectable 3D macroenvironment and microenvironment to allow for ex vivo or in vivo cell-induced tissue formation. This review gives an overview of the essential components of tissue regenerating scaffolds, ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic scale in a hierarchical manner. Further, this review elaborates about recent pivotal technologies, such as photopatterning, electrospinning, 3D bioprinting, or the assembly of micrometer-scale building blocks, which enable the incorporation of local heterogeneities, similar to most native extracellular matrices. These methods are applied to mimic a vast number of different tissues, including cartilage, bone, nerves, muscle, heart, and blood vessels. Despite the tremendous progress that has been made in the last decade, it remains a hurdle to build biomaterial constructs in vitro or in vivo with a native-like structure and architecture, including spatiotemporal control of biofunctional domains and mechanical properties. New chemistries and assembly methods in water will be crucial to develop therapies that are clinically translatable and can evolve into organized and functional tissues. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Abscisic Acid Accumulation by Roots of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. in Relation to Water Stress 1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cornish, Katrina; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

    1985-01-01

    Plants of Xanthium strumarium L. and Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv `Rheinlands Ruhm' were grown in solution culture, and control and steam-girdled intact plants were stressed. Detached roots of both species were stressed to different extents in two ways: (a) either in warm air or, (b) in the osmoticum Aquacide III. The roots of both species produced and accumulated progressively more abscisic acid (ABA), the greater the stress inflicted by either method. ABA-glucose ester levels in Xanthium roots were not affected by water stress and were too low to be the source of the stress-induced ABA. The fact that ABA accumulated in detached roots and in roots of girdled plants proves that ABA was synthesized in the roots and not merely transported from the shoots. Maximum ABA accumulation in detached roots occurred after 60 to 70% loss of fresh weight. In Xanthium roots, ABA levels continued to increase for at least 11 hours, and no catabolism was apparent when stressed roots were immersed in water, although the roots did stop accumulating ABA. When osmotically stressed, Xanthium roots reached a maximum ABA level after 2 hours, but ABA continued to rise in the medium. Under optimal stress conditions, endogenous ABA levels increased 100 times over their prestress values in detached roots of Xanthium, and 15 times in Lycopersicon under nonoptimal stress, when endogenous ABA was expressed as concentrations based on tissue water content. These are much greater relative increases than observed in the leaves (15 times in Xanthium, 3 times in Lycopersicon), although the roots contain substantially less ABA than the leaves in all circumstances. The results suggest that the endogenous level of ABA in roots could rise appreciably prior to leaf wilt, and could modify the plant's water economy before the leaves become stressed. PMID:16664467

  3. Lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and immune-related molecules affected by tributyltin exposure in muscle tissues of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jiliang; Zhang, Chunnuan; Ma, Dongdong; Liu, Min; Huang, Shuntao

    2017-12-01

    Tributyltin (TBT) is reported to induce adipogenesis in fish, which might affect nutritional qualities and health status. Muscle tissues account for the majority of body mass, and have been described as a major site of fat deposition and an immunologically active organ. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate whether chronic exposures of TBT, at environmental concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 ng/L, affects lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and immune status in muscle tissues of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus). After 60 d of exposure, TBT increased contents of total lipid, total cholesterol, triglyceride and fatty acids in muscle tissues. Interestingly, TBT exposure disrupted fatty acid composition and increased contents of unsaturated fatty acids (such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) in muscle tissues, which might be a response to preserve membrane functions from TBT exposure. Meanwhile, the concentrations of hepatic fatty acid desaturase 2 (Δ6-desaturase) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (Δ9-desaturase) were increased after TBT exposure, which might contribute the increase of unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, TBT increased muscle lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase), and the expression of immune-related molecules (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta and nuclear factor kappa B) in muscle tissues. The disruption of TBT on the lipid accumulation, oxidative stress and immune-toxic effects in muscle tissues of fish might reduce nutritional qualities, and affect growth and health status, which might pose a constant and serious threat to fish and result in economic loss in aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Age-related effect on the concentration of collagen crosslinks in human osteonal and interstitial bone tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyman, Jeffry S; Roy, Anuradha; Acuna, Rae L; Gayle, Heather J; Reyes, Michael J; Tyler, Jerrod H; Dean, David D; Wang, Xiaodu

    2006-12-01

    Collagen crosslinks are important to the quality of bone and may be contributors to the age-related increase in bone fracture. This study was performed to investigate whether age and gender effects on collagen crosslinks are similar in osteonal and interstitial bone tissues. Forty human cadaveric femurs were collected and divided into two age groups: middle-aged (42-63 years of age) and elderly (69-90 years of age) with ten males and ten females in each group (n = 10). Micro-cores of bone tissue from both secondary osteons and interstitial regions in the medial quadrant of the diaphysis were extracted using a custom-modified, computer-controlled milling machine. The bone specimens were then analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography to determine the effects of age and gender on the concentration of mature, enzymatic crosslinks (hydroxylysyl-pyridinoline-HP and lysyl-pyridinoline-LP) and a non-enzymatic crosslink (pentosidine-PE) at these two microstructural sites. The results indicate that age has a significant effect on the concentration of LP and PE, while gender has a significant effect on HP and LP. In addition, the concentration of the crosslinks in the secondary osteons is significantly different from that in the interstitial bone regions. These results suggest that the amount of non-enzymatic crosslinking may increase while that of mature enzymatic crosslinking may decrease with age. Such changes could potentially reduce the inherent quality of the bone tissue in the elderly skeleton.

  5. Experimental study of heavy oil-water flow structure effects on relative permeabilities in a fracture filled with heavy oil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shad, S.; Gates, I.D.; Maini, B.B. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering]|[Alberta Ingenuity Centre for In Situ Energy, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2008-10-15

    An experimental apparatus was used to investigate the flow of water in the presence of heavy oil within a smooth-walled fracture. Different flow patterns were investigated under a variety of flow conditions. Results of the experiments were used to determine the accuracy of VC, Corey, and Shad and Gates models designed to represent the behaviour of oil wet systems. The relative permeability concept was used to describe the behaviour of multiple phases flowing through porous media. A smooth-walled plexiglass Hele-Shaw cell was used to visualize oil and water flow. Changes in flow rates led to different flow regimes. The experiment demonstrated that water flowed co-currently in the form of droplets or slugs. Decreases in the oil flow rate enlarged the size of the water droplets as well as the velocity, until eventually the droplets coalesced and became water slugs. Droplet appearance or disappearance directly impacted the oil and water saturation levels. Changes in fluid saturation altered the pressure gradient. Darcy's law for the 2 liquid phases were used to calculate relative permeability curves. The study showed that at low water saturation, oil relative permeability reached as high as 2.5, while water relative permeability was lower than unity. In the presence of a continuous water channel, water drops formed in oil, and the velocity of the drops was lower than their velocity under a discontinuous water flow regime. It was concluded that the Shad and Gates model overestimated oil relative permeability and underestimated water relative permeability. 38 refs., 2 tabs., 9 figs.

  6. Perceptions of climate-related risk among water sector professionals in Africa-Insights from the 2016 African Water Association Congress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, Katherine; Mbutu, Mwaura; Bartram, Jamie; Fuente, David

    2018-04-23

    The ability of water and wastewater utilities to provide safe and reliable water and sanitation services now and in the future will be determined, in part, by their resilience to climate change. Investment in infrastructure, planning, and operational practices that increase resilience are affected, in turn, by how water sector professionals perceive the risks posed to utilities by climate change and its related impacts. We surveyed water sector professionals at the 2016 African Water Association's Congress in Nairobi, Kenya to assess their perceptions of climate-specific and general risks that may disrupt utility service. We find that water sector professionals are most concerned about climate-specific and general risks that affect utility water supplies (quantity), followed by adequacy of utility infrastructure. We also find that professionals tend to rank climate-specific risks as less concerning than general risks facing utilities. Furthermore, non-utility professionals are more concerned about climate-specific risks and climate change in general than utility professionals. These findings highlight the multiple, competing risks utilities face and the need for adaptation strategies that simultaneously address climate-specific and general concerns of utilities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  7. Health and condition of endangered young-of-the-year Lost River and Shortnose suckers relative to water quality in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2014–2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burdick, Summer M.; Conway, Carla M.; Elliott, Diane G.; Hoy, Marshal S.; Dolan-Caret, Amari; Ostberg, Carl O.

    2017-10-19

    Most mortality of endangered Lost River (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose (Chasmistes brevirostris) suckers in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, occurs within the first year of life. Juvenile suckers in Clear Lake Reservoir, California, survive longer and may even recruit to the spawning populations. In a previous (2013–2014) study, the health and condition of juvenile suckers and the dynamics of water quality between Upper Klamath Lake and Clear Lake Reservoir were compared. That study found that apparent signs of stress or exposure to irritants, such as peribiliary cuffing in liver tissue and mild inflammation and necrosis in gill tissues, were present in suckers from both lakes and were unlikely to be clues to the cause of differential mortality between lakes. Seasonal trends in energy storage as glycogen and triglycerides were also similar between lakes, indicating prey limitation was not a likely factor in differential mortality. To better understand the relationship between juvenile sucker health and water quality, we examined suckers collected in 2014–2015 from Upper Klamath Lake, where water quality can be dynamic and, at times, extreme.While there were notable differences in water quality and fish health between years, we were not able to identify any specific water-quality-related causes for differential fish condition. Water quality was generally better in 2014 than in 2015. When considered together afflictions and abnormalities generally indicated healthier suckers in 2014 than 2015. Low dissolved-oxygen events (water temperatures were warmer, particularly in July and September; and concentrations of microcystin in both large and small fractions of samples were lower in 2014 than in 2015. Total and therefore also un-ionized ammonia were low in 2014–2015 relative to concentrations known to affect suckers. Petechial hemorrhages of the skin, attached Lernaea spp. and eosinophilic hyaline droplets in the kidney tubules were less prevalent in 2014 than in

  8. (Plant growth with limited water)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1991-01-01

    The work supported by DOE in the last year built on our earlier findings that stem growth in soybean subjected to limited water is inhibited first by a physical limitation followed in a few hours by metabolic changes that reduce the extensibility of the cell walls. With time, there is modest recovery in extensibility and a 28kD protein accumulates in the walls of the growth-affected cells. A 31kD protein that was 80% similar in amino acid sequence also was present but did not accumulate in the walls of the stem cells. Explorations of the mRNA for these proteins showed that the mRNA for the 28kD protein increased in the shoot in response to water deprivation but the mRNA for the 31kD protein did not accumulate. In contrast, the roots continued to grow and the mRNA for the 31kD protein accumulated but the mRNA for the 28kD protein was undetectable. We also explored how growth occurs in the absence of an external water supply. We found that, under these conditions, internal water is mobilized from surrounding nongrowing or slowly growing tissues and is used by rapidly growing cells. We showed that a low water potential is normally present in the enlarging tissues and is the likely force that extracts water from the surrounding tissues. We found that it involved a gradient in water potential that extended from the xylem to the outlying cells in the enlarging region and was not observed in the slowly growing basal tissue of the stems of the same plant. The gradient was measured directly with single cell determinations of turgor and osmotic potential in intact plants. The gradient may explain instances of growth inhibition with limited water when there is no change in the turgor of the enlarging cells. 17 refs.

  9. Relative spectral absorption of solar radiation by water vapor and cloud droplets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, R.; Ridgway, W. L.

    1983-01-01

    A moderate (20/cm) spectral resolution model which accounts for both the highly variable spectral transmission of solar radiation through water vapor within and above cloud, as well as the more slowly varying features of absorption and anisotropic multiple scattering by the cloud droplets, is presented. Results from this model as applied to the case of a typical 1 km thick stratus cloud in a standard atmosphere, with cloud top altitude of 2 km and overhead sun, are discussed, showing the relative importance of water vapor above the cloud, water vapor within the cloud, and cloud droplets on the spectral absorption of solar radiation.

  10. Water relation, leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging of soybean leaves infected with Colletotrichum truncatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dias, Carla Silva; Araujo, Leonardo; Alves Chaves, Joicy Aparecida; DaMatta, Fábio M; Rodrigues, Fabrício A

    2018-06-01

    Considering the potential of anthracnose to decrease soybean yield and the need to gain more information regarding its effect on soybean physiology, the present study performed an in-depth analysis of the photosynthetic performance of soybean leaflets challenged with Colletotrichum truncatum by combining chlorophyll a fluorescence images with gas-exchange measurements and photosynthetic pigment pools. There were no significant differences between non-inoculated and inoculated plants in leaf water potential, apparent hydraulic conductance, net CO 2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance to water vapor and transpiration rate. For internal CO 2 concentration, significant difference between non-inoculated and inoculated plants occurred only at 36 h after inoculation. Reductions in the values of the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters [initial fluorescence (F 0 ), maximal fluorescence (F m ), maximal photosystem II quantum yield (F v /F m ), quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation (Y(NPQ))] and increases in effective PS II quantum yield (Y(II)), quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation Y(NO) and photochemical quenching coefficient (q P ) were noticed on the necrotic vein tissue in contrast to the surrounding leaf tissue. It appears that the impact of the infection by C. truncatum on the photosynthetic performance of the leaflets was minimal considering the preference of the fungus to colonize the veins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. Water Conservation in Kalanchoe blossfeldiana in Relation to Carbon Dioxide Dark Fixation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabka, George G.; Chaturvedi, S. N.

    1975-01-01

    The succulent Kalanchoe blossfeldiana v. Poel. var Tom Thumb was treated on long and short photoperiods for 6 weeks during which short day plants developed thicker leaves, flowered prolifically, and exhibited extensive net dark fixation of carbon dioxide. In contrast, long day plants remained vegetative and did not develop thicker leaves or exhibit net carbon dioxide dark fixation. When examined after the photoperiodic state described, long day plants showed approximately three times more water loss over a 10-day period than short day plants. Water loss is similar during light and dark periods for short day plants but long day plants exhibited two times more water loss during the day than at night. The latter plants also lost three and one-half times more water during the light period than short day plants. The water conservation by short day plants is correlated with conditions of high carbon dioxide dark fixation and effects of its related Crassulacean acid metabolism on stomatal behavior. PMID:16659116

  12. Water Conservation in Kalanchoe blossfeldiana in Relation to Carbon Dioxide Dark Fixation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabka, G G; Chaturvedi, S N

    1975-03-01

    The succulent Kalanchoe blossfeldiana v. Poel. var Tom Thumb was treated on long and short photoperiods for 6 weeks during which short day plants developed thicker leaves, flowered prolifically, and exhibited extensive net dark fixation of carbon dioxide. In contrast, long day plants remained vegetative and did not develop thicker leaves or exhibit net carbon dioxide dark fixation. When examined after the photoperiodic state described, long day plants showed approximately three times more water loss over a 10-day period than short day plants. Water loss is similar during light and dark periods for short day plants but long day plants exhibited two times more water loss during the day than at night. The latter plants also lost three and one-half times more water during the light period than short day plants. The water conservation by short day plants is correlated with conditions of high carbon dioxide dark fixation and effects of its related Crassulacean acid metabolism on stomatal behavior.

  13. Dose distribution around ion track in tissue equivalent material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Wenzhong; Guo Yong; Luo Yisheng

    2007-01-01

    Objective: To study the energy deposition micro-specialty of ions in body-tissue or tissue equivalent material (TEM). Methods: The water vapor was determined as the tissue equivalent material, based on the analysis to the body-tissue, and Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the behavior of proton in the tissue equivalent material. Some features of the energy deposition micro-specialty of ion in tissue equivalent material were obtained through the analysis to the data from calculation. Results: The ion will give the energy by the way of excitation and ionization in material, then the secondary electrons will be generated in the progress of ionization, these electron will finished ions energy deposition progress. When ions deposited their energy, large amount energy will be in the core of tracks, and secondary electrons will devote its' energy around ion track, the ion dose distribution is then formed in TEM. Conclusions: To know biological effects of radiation , the research to dose distribution of ions is of importance(significance). (authors)

  14. Algal massive growth in relation to water quality and salinity at Damietta, north of Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Ali Ibraheem Deyab

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To relate the proliferation and dominance of certain algal species at the Damietta and its relation to water quality. Methods: Water and algal biomass were bimonthly sampled from five selected sites at Damietta Province, Egypt during 2012. Algae were identified and quantified. Waters, algae and sediment were analyzed. Results: The physicochemical properties of water showed limited seasonal but substantial local variation. The high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus and turbidity of water pointed to marked eutrophication, which could enhance massive algal growth. The temporal fluctuation in temperature, exposure to industrial and domestic sewage and salinity results in succession between blooming algal species. Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris alternated in a moderately saline water and Oscillatoria agardhii and Mougeotia scalaris in a fresh water body during summer and winter respectively. Likewise, Microcystis aureginosa and Ulva lactuca alternated in a moderately saline site during autumn and summer respectively. Cladophora albida dominated a fish pond of brackish water and Dunaliella salina dominated the most saline water over the whole period of study. Conclusions: Growth of the predominant algal species is correlated to water quality. These species are of considerable nutritive value, with moderate contents of protein, carbohydrate, macronutrients and micronutrients, which evaluates them for usage as food (green and macroalgae, fodder or bio-fertilizer (cyanophytes.

  15. Water-stress-induced breakdown of carbon-water relations: indicators from diurnal FLUXNET patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nelson, Jacob A.; Carvalhais, Nuno; Migliavacca, Mirco; Reichstein, Markus; Jung, Martin

    2018-04-01

    Understanding of terrestrial carbon and water cycles is currently hampered by an uncertainty in how to capture the large variety of plant responses to drought. In FLUXNET, the global network of CO2 and H2O flux observations, many sites do not uniformly report the ancillary variables needed to study drought response physiology. To this end, we outline two data-driven indicators based on diurnal energy, water, and carbon flux patterns derived directly from the eddy covariance data and based on theorized physiological responses to hydraulic and non-stomatal limitations. Hydraulic limitations (i.e. intra-plant limitations on water movement) are proxied using the relative diurnal centroid (CET*), which measures the degree to which the flux of evapotranspiration (ET) is shifted toward the morning. Non-stomatal limitations (e.g. inhibitions of biochemical reactions, RuBisCO activity, and/or mesophyll conductance) are characterized by the Diurnal Water-Carbon Index (DWCI), which measures the degree of coupling between ET and gross primary productivity (GPP) within each day. As a proof of concept we show the response of the metrics at six European sites during the 2003 heat wave event, showing a varied response of morning shifts and decoupling. Globally, we found indications of hydraulic limitations in the form of significantly high frequencies of morning-shifted days in dry/Mediterranean climates and savanna/evergreen plant functional types (PFTs), whereas high frequencies of decoupling were dominated by dry climates and grassland/savanna PFTs indicating a prevalence of non-stomatal limitations in these ecosystems. Overall, both the diurnal centroid and DWCI were associated with high net radiation and low latent energy typical of drought. Using three water use efficiency (WUE) models, we found the mean differences between expected and observed WUE to be -0.09 to 0.44 µmol mmol-1 and -0.29 to -0.40 µmol mmol-1 for decoupled and morning-shifted days, respectively, compared

  16. Visual and chemical tissue markers for bovine carcass components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lary, R.Y.; Byers, F.M.; Cross, H.R.; Schelling, G.T.; Petersen, H.D.

    1988-01-01

    A two-component, nontoxic, quantifiable animal/carcass tracing system was developed using riboflavin as an on-premises, initial carcass identifier visible under longwave ultraviolet (UV) light and deuterium oxide (D 2 O) as a tracer analytically quantified via fixed wavelength infrared spectrophotometry. Twenty-four cull cows and heifers were allocated into eight antemortem treatment groups (1, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 h) for evaluation of the efficacy of riboflavin and D 2 O as tissue tracers in postmortem meat tissues. All cattle were slaughtered using conventional procedures and inspection. To study postmortem riboflavin marker changes due to constant light exposure over time, fluorescence and emission intensity scores were obtained by a trained panel 24, 48, and 168 h postslaughter. The riboflavin marker intensity rating means for UV fluorescence were classified as identifiable on all carcasses when evaluated under UV light, but were classified as not identifiable when evaluated under ambient light. Deuterium oxide levels in all tissue water samples, regardless of antemortem infusion group, contained D 2 O concentrations at least 2.5 times greater than those found in background water. Deuterium oxide was shown to disperse rapidly throughout living tissues. Correlations within animals for D 2 O levels from blood and muscle were all highly significant (r = .99)

  17. Coulometric-potentiometric determination of autoprotolysis constant and relative acidity scale of water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Džudović Radmila M.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The autoprotolysis constant and relative acidity scale of water were determined by applying the coulometric-potentiometric method and a hydrogen/palladium (H2/Pd generator anode. In the described procedure for the evaluation of autoprotolysis constant, a strong base generated coulometrically at the platinum cathode in situ in the electrolytic cell, in presence of sodium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte, is titrated with hydrogen ions obtained by the anodic oxidation of hydrogen dissolved in palladium electrode. The titration was carried out with a glass-SCE electrode pair at 25.0±0.1°C. The value obtained pKw = 13.91 ± 0.06 is in agreement with literature data. The range of acidity scale of water is determined from the difference between the halfneutralization potentials of electrogenerated perchloric acid and that of sodium hydroxide in a sodium perchlorate medium. The halfneutralization potentials were measured using both a glass-SCE and a (H2/Pdind-SCE electrode pairs. A wider range of relative acidity scale of water was obtained with the glass-SCE electrode pair.

  18. Water Education: An e-learning platform for water-related competence development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, Eva; Arvin, Erik; Ucendo, Inmaculada Maria Buendia

    2011-01-01

    The Danish water sector is in dire need for competence development to accommodate the changes in Danish water governance (decentralisation,privatisation and larger entities) and the implementation of relevant EuropeanUnion (EU) directives. In parallel, the number of international students enrolled......, DTUEnvironment has created an e-learning platform called Water Education (WatEdu) scheduled to be operational in 2011....

  19. Composition of MRI phantom equivalent to human tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Hirokazu; Kuroda, Masahiro; Yoshimura, Koichi; Yoshida, Atsushi; Hanamoto, Katsumi; Kawasaki, Shoji; Shibuya, Koichi; Kanazawa, Susumu

    2005-01-01

    We previously developed two new MRI phantoms (called the CAG phantom and the CAGN phantom), with T1 and T2 relaxation times equivalent to those of any human tissue at 1.5 T. The conductivity of the CAGN phantom is equivalent to that of most types of human tissue in the frequency range of 1 to 130 MHz. In this paper, the relaxation times of human tissues are summarized, and the composition of the corresponding phantoms are provided in table form. The ingredients of these phantoms are carrageenan as the gelling agent, GdCl 3 as a T1 modifier, agarose as a T2 modifier, NaCl (CAGN phantom only) as a conductivity modifier, NaN 3 as an antiseptic, and distilled water. The phantoms have T1 values of 202-1904 ms and T2 values of 38-423 ms when the concentrations of GdCl 3 and agarose are varied from 0-140 μmol/kg, and 0%-1.6%, respectively, and the CAGN phantom has a conductivity of 0.27-1.26 S/m when the NaCl concentration is varied from 0%-0.7%. These phantoms have sufficient strength to replicate a torso without the use of reinforcing agents, and can be cut by a knife into any shape. We anticipate the CAGN phantom to be highly useful and practical for MRI and hyperthermia-related research

  20. LC-MS/MS analysis of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue proteomes in young goats with focus on innate immunity and inflammation related proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Restelli, Laura; Codrea, Marius Cosmin; Savoini, Giovanni

    2014-01-01

    and visceral adipose tissues of goat, focusing on proteins involved in immune and inflammatory response. A 2-D LC-MS/MS approach followed by cluster analysis shows a clear distinction between subcutaneous and visceral fat tissue proteomes, and qualitative RT-PCR based analysis of 30 potential adipokines...... further confirmed the individual expression patterns of 26 of these, including 7 whose mRNA expression was observed for the first time in adipose tissues. This study provides a first description of adipose tissue proteomes in goat, and presents observations on novel proteins related to metabolic...... inflammation, detoxification and coagulation pathways, as well as regulation of body fat mobilization in dairy animals. These findings are of particular interest in farm animals where health and production traits are important for animal welfare and for economic gains. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights...

  1. Stable hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur isotopes composition in different tissues of cattle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Fengmei; Shi Guangyu; Wang Huiwen; Yang Shuming

    2012-01-01

    In order to research on stable hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur isotopes composition in different tissues of cattle, as well as the breed, δ 2 H and δ 34 S values of different defatted muscle, cattle tail hair, blood, liver, also δ 2h and δ 18 O values of water from muscle were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The stable sulfur isotope composition was not affected by cattle variety, meanwhile the hydrogen was uncertain; the δ 2 H and δ 34 S values between different defatted muscle, blood, liver, cattle hair were significantly different, at the same time the δ 34 S and δ 2 H values between each tissue were not significantly correlated; the δ 2 H values were strongly correlated with the δ 18 O values of muscle water. The above results indicated that stable sulfur and hydrogen isotopes fractionation in the various tissues were discrepant, thus the proper tissue should be selected according to the purpose and object in the beef traceability. (authors)

  2. MARS spectral molecular imaging of lamb tissue: data collection and image analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Aamir, R; Bateman, C.J.; Butler, A.P.H.; Butler, P.H.; Anderson, N.G.; Bell, S.T.; Panta, R.K.; Healy, J.L.; Mohr, J.L.; Rajendran, K.; Walsh, M.F.; Ruiter, N.de; Gieseg, S.P.; Woodfield, T.; Renaud, P.F.; Brooke, L.; Abdul-Majid, S.; Clyne, M.; Glendenning, R.; Bones, P.J.; Billinghurst, M.; Bartneck, C.; Mandalika, H.; Grasset, R.; Schleich, N.; Scott, N.; Nik, S.J.; Opie, A.; Janmale, T.; Tang, D.N.; Kim, D.; Doesburg, R.M.; Zainon, R.; Ronaldson, J.P.; Cook, N.J.; Smithies, D.J.; Hodge, K.

    2014-01-01

    Spectral molecular imaging is a new imaging technique able to discriminate and quantify different components of tissue simultaneously at high spatial and high energy resolution. Our MARS scanner is an x-ray based small animal CT system designed to be used in the diagnostic energy range (20 to 140 keV). In this paper, we demonstrate the use of the MARS scanner, equipped with the Medipix3RX spectroscopic photon-processing detector, to discriminate fat, calcium, and water in tissue. We present data collected from a sample of lamb meat including bone as an illustrative example of human tissue imaging. The data is analyzed using our 3D Algebraic Reconstruction Algorithm (MARS-ART) and by material decomposition based on a constrained linear least squares algorithm. The results presented here clearly show the quantification of lipid-like, water-like and bone-like components of tissue. However, it is also clear to us that better algorithms could extract more information of clinical interest from our data. Because we ...

  3. CO II laser free-form processing of hard tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Martin; Klasing, Manfred; Ivanenko, Mikhail; Harbecke, Daniela; Steigerwald, Hendrik; Hering, Peter

    2007-07-01

    Drilling and surface processing of bone and tooth tissue belongs to standard medical procedures (bores and embeddings for implants, trepanation etc.). Small circular bores can be generally quickly produced with mechanical drills. However problems arise at angled drilling, the need to execute drilling procedures without damaging of sensitive soft tissue structures underneath the bone or the attempt to mill small non-circular cavities in hard tissue with high precision. We present investigations on laser hard tissue "milling", which can be advantageous for solving these problems. The processing of bone is done with a CO II laser (10.6 μm) with pulse durations of 50 - 100 μs, combined with a PC-controlled fast galvanic laser beam scanner and a fine water-spray, which helps keeping the ablation process effective and without thermal side-effects. Laser "milling" of non-circular cavities with 1 - 4 mm width and about 10 mm depth can be especially interesting for dental implantology. In ex-vivo investigations we found conditions for fast laser processing of these cavities without thermal damage and with minimised tapering. It included the exploration of different filling patterns (concentric rings, crosshatch, parallel lines, etc.), definition of maximal pulse duration, repetition rate and laser power, and optimal water spray position. The optimised results give evidence for the applicability of pulsed CO II lasers for biologically tolerable effective processing of deep cavities in hard tissue.

  4. Summer spatial patterning of chukars in relation to free water in Western Utah

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, R.T.; Bissonette, J.A.; Flinders, J.T.; Hooten, M.B.; Wilson, T.L.

    2010-01-01

    Free water is considered important to wildlife in arid regions. In the western United States, thousands of water developments have been built to benefit wildlife in arid landscapes. Agencies and researchers have yet to clearly demonstrate their effectiveness. We combined a spatial analysis of summer chukar (Alectoris chukar) covey locations with dietary composition analysis in western Utah. Our specific objectives were to determine if chukars showed a spatial pattern that suggested association with free water in four study areas and to document summer dietary moisture content in relation to average distance from water. The observed data for the Cedar Mountains study area fell within the middle of the random mean distance to water distribution suggesting no association with free water. The observed mean distance to water for the other three areas was much closer than expected compared to a random spatial process, suggesting the importance of free water to these populations. Dietary moisture content of chukar food items from the Cedar Mountains (59%) was significantly greater (P model error components in future ecological research. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

  5. Seasonal changes in the expression of energy metabolism-related genes in white adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in female Japanese black bears.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimozuru, Michito; Nagashima, Akiko; Tanaka, Jun; Tsubota, Toshio

    2016-01-01

    Bears undergo annual cycles in body mass: rapid fattening in autumn (i.e., hyperphagia), and mass loss in winter (i.e., hibernation). To investigate how Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) adapt to such extreme physiological conditions, we analyzed changes in the mRNA expression of energy metabolism-related genes in white adipose tissues and skeletal muscle throughout three physiological stages: normal activity (June), hyperphagia (November), and hibernation (March). During hyperphagia, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the upregulation of de novo lipogenesis-related genes (e.g., fatty acid synthase and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2) in white adipose tissue, although the bears had been maintained with a constant amount of food. In contrast, during the hibernation period, we observed a downregulation of genes involved in glycolysis (e.g., glucose transporter 4) and lipogenesis (e.g., acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1) and an upregulation of genes in fatty acid catabolism (e.g., carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A) in both tissue types. In white adipose tissues, we observed upregulation of genes involved in glyceroneogenesis, including pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1, suggesting that white adipose tissue plays a role in the recycling of circulating free fatty acids via re-esterification. In addition, the downregulation of genes involved in amino acid catabolism (e.g., alanine aminotransferase) and the TCA cycle (e.g., pyruvate carboxylase) indicated a role of skeletal muscle in muscle protein sparing and pyruvate recycling via the Cori cycle. These examples of coordinated transcriptional regulation would contribute to rapid mass gain during the pre-hibernation period and to energy preservation and efficient energy production during the hibernation period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Water relations and microclimate around the upper limit of a cloud forest in Maui, Hawai'i.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gotsch, Sybil G; Crausbay, Shelley D; Giambelluca, Thomas W; Weintraub, Alexis E; Longman, Ryan J; Asbjornsen, Heidi; Hotchkiss, Sara C; Dawson, Todd E

    2014-07-01

    The goal of this study was to determine the effects of atmospheric demand on both plant water relations and daily whole-tree water balance across the upper limit of a cloud forest at the mean base height of the trade wind inversion in the tropical trade wind belt. We measured the microclimate and water relations (sap flow, water potential, stomatal conductance, pressure-volume relations) of Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich. var. polymorpha in three habitats bracketing the cloud forest's upper limit in Hawai'i to understand the role of water relations in determining ecotone position. The subalpine shrubland site, located 100 m above the cloud forest boundary, had the highest vapor pressure deficit, the least amount of rainfall and the highest levels of nighttime transpiration (EN) of all three sites. In the shrubland site, on average, 29% of daily whole-tree transpiration occurred at night, while on the driest day of the study 50% of total daily transpiration occurred at night. While EN occurred in the cloud forest habitat, the proportion of total daily transpiration that occurred at night was much lower (4%). The average leaf water potential (Ψleaf) was above the water potential at the turgor loss point (ΨTLP) on both sides of the ecotone due to strong stomatal regulation. While stomatal closure maintained a high Ψleaf, the minimum leaf water potential (Ψleafmin) was close to ΨTLP, indicating that drier conditions may cause drought stress in these habitats and may be an important driver of current landscape patterns in stand density. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Dosimetric Comparison of Simulated Human Eye And Water Phantom in Investigation of Iodine Source Effects on Tumour And Healthy Tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadi, A.S.; Masoudi, F.S. K.N.Toosi University of Technology

    2011-01-01

    For better clinical analysis in ophthalmic brachytherapy dosimetry, there is a need for the dose determination in different parts of the eye, so simulating the eye and defining the material of any parts of that, is helpful for better investigating dosimetry in human eye. However in brachytherapy dosimetry, it is common to consider the water phantom as human eye globe. In this work, a full human eye is simulated with MCNP-4C code by considering all parts of the eye like; lens, cornea, retina, choroid, sclera, anterior chamber, optic nerve, bulk of the eye comprising vitreous body and tumour. The average dose in different parts of this full model of human eye is determined and the results are compared with the dose calculated in water phantom. The central axes depth dose and the dose in whole of the tumour for these two simulated eye model are calculated too, and the results are compared. At long last, as the aim of this work is comparing the result of investigating dosimetry between two water phantom as human eye and simulated eye globe, the ratios of the absorbed dose by the healthy tissues to the absorbed dose by the tumour are calculated in these simulations and the comparison between results is done eventually.

  8. Total Water Level Fun Facts: The Relative Contribution of Extreme Total Water Levels Along the US West Coast

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafin, K.; Ruggiero, P.; Stockdon, H. F.

    2016-02-01

    In the fall of 2014, parts of the US West Coast endured some of the highest monthly mean sea level anomalies on record, likely due to the presence of "the blob" (Bond et al., 2015), an anomalously warm water mass in the NE Pacific. However, despite the significantly above average water levels, the coastline experienced only marginal coastal flooding and erosion hazards because the ensuing winter lacked significant storms, underscoring the fact that extreme total water levels (TWLs) are compound events. To better understand how several individual processes combine to cause devastating coastal hazards, we investigate the relative contribution that each component (waves, tides, and non-tidal residuals) has on extreme TWLs on sandy beaches. Water level records along the US West Coast are decomposed into mean sea level, astronomical tide, and non-tidal residuals (NTRs). The NTR is further split into an intra-annual seasonal signal, monthly mean sea level anomalies (inter-annual variability), and meteorological surge. TWL time series are then generated by combining water levels with wave runup, computed using wave data and beach morphology. We use this data-driven, structural function approach to investigate the spatial variability of the relative contribution of each component to the maximum TWL event on record. We also use a probabilistic, full simulation TWL model (Serafin and Ruggiero, 2014) to generate multiple, synthetic TWL records, to explore the relative contribution of each component to extreme TWL return levels. We assess the sensitivity to local beach morphology by computing TWLs for a range of observed beach slopes. Extreme TWLs are higher in Oregon and Washington than in California. Wave runup typically comprises > 50% of the TWL signal, while NTRs often compose < 5%, illustrating the importance wave climate has on the potential for extreme TWLs. While waves are typically larger in the North, California experiences greater contributions to extreme TWLs from

  9. Towards the harmonization of water-related policies for managing drought risks across the EU

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kampragou, E.; Apostolaki, S.; Manoli, E.; Froebrich, J.; Assimacopoulos, D.

    2011-01-01

    Drought is recognized as a major issue in the EU, particularly in the Mediterranean region, posing risks to the environment as well as to local and regional economies. The EU policy on water management is continuously evolving, particularly in relation to water scarcity and drought. Starting with

  10. Propagation of errors from a null balance terahertz reflectometer to a sample's relative water content

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hadjiloucas, S; Walker, G C; Bowen, J W; Zafiropoulos, A

    2009-01-01

    The THz water content index of a sample is defined and advantages in using such metric in estimating a sample's relative water content are discussed. The errors from reflectance measurements performed at two different THz frequencies using a quasi-optical null-balance reflectometer are propagated to the errors in estimating the sample water content index.

  11. Optimization of permanent breast seed implant dosimetry incorporating tissue heterogeneity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mashouf, Shahram

    Seed brachytherapy is currently used for adjuvant radiotherapy of early stage prostate and breast cancer patients. The current standard for calculation of dose around brachytherapy sources is based on the AAPM TG43 formalism, which generates the dose in homogeneous water medium. Recently, AAPM task group no. 186 (TG186) emphasized the importance of accounting for heterogeneities. In this work we introduce an analytical dose calculation algorithm in heterogeneous media using CT images. The advantages over other methods are computational efficiency and the ease of integration into clinical use. An Inhomogeneity Correction Factor (ICF) is introduced as the ratio of absorbed dose in tissue to that in water medium. ICF is a function of tissue properties and independent of the source structure. The ICF is extracted using CT images and the absorbed dose in tissue can then be calculated by multiplying the dose as calculated by the TG43 formalism times ICF. To evaluate the methodology, we compared our results with Monte Carlo simulations as well as experiments in phantoms with known density and atomic compositions. The dose distributions obtained through applying ICF to TG43 protocol agreed very well with those of Monte Carlo simulations and experiments in all phantoms. In all cases, the mean relative error was reduced by at least a factor of two when ICF correction factor was applied to the TG43 protocol. In conclusion we have developed a new analytical dose calculation method, which enables personalized dose calculations in heterogeneous media using CT images. The methodology offers several advantages including the use of standard TG43 formalism, fast calculation time and extraction of the ICF parameters directly from Hounsfield Units. The methodology was implemented into our clinical treatment planning system where a cohort of 140 patients were processed to study the clinical benefits of a heterogeneity corrected dose.

  12. OBT analysis method using polyethylene beads for limited quantities of animal tissue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, S.B.; Stuart, M.

    2015-01-01

    This study presents a polyethylene beads method for OBT determination in animal tissues and animal products for cases where the amount of water recovered by combustion is limited by sample size or quantity. In the method, the amount of water recovered after combustion is enhanced by adding tritium-free polyethylene beads to the sample prior to combustion in an oxygen bomb. The method reduces process time by allowing the combustion water to be easily collected with a pipette. Sufficient water recovery was achieved using the polyethylene beads method when 2 g of dry animal tissue or animal product were combusted with 2 g of polyethylene beads. Correction factors, which account for the dilution due to the combustion water of the beads, are provided for beef, chicken, pork, fish and clams, as well as egg, milk and cheese. The method was tested by comparing its OBT results with those of the conventional method using animal samples collected on the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site. The results determined that the polyethylene beads method added no more than 25% uncertainty when appropriate correction factors are used. - Highlights: • Polyethylene beads method for OBT determination in animal tissues and animal products were determined. • The method reduces process time. • The polyethylene beads method added no more than 25% uncertainty when appropriate correction factors are used

  13. Problems especially relating to sea water condensers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyer, Raymond.

    1975-01-01

    Sea water forms a nearly unlimited cold source well adapted to the open circuit cooling of large nuclear power plants. As a counter-part, its physico-chemical and biological characteristics generally require complicated arrangements for preventing: - first, the sea water to enter accidentally, especially as a consequence of corrosions and erosion-corrosions. Indeed, certain materials used in modern plants very badly suffer any introduction of salted water into the cycle steam-water mixture: - secondly, damaging the flow conditions of the cooling water (increase in friction coefficients, restriction of passage cross sections, blocking) and heat exchange parameters (resisting deposits, circulation troubles...) [fr

  14. [Connective tissue and inflammation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakab, Lajos

    2014-03-23

    The author summarizes the structure of the connective tissues, the increasing motion of the constituents, which determine the role in establishing the structure and function of that. The structure and function of the connective tissue are related to each other in the resting as well as inflammatory states. It is emphasized that cellular events in the connective tissue are part of the defence of the organism, the localisation of the damage and, if possible, the maintenance of restitutio ad integrum. The organism responds to damage with inflammation, the non specific immune response, as well as specific, adaptive immunity. These processes are located in the connective tissue. Sterile and pathogenic inflammation are relatively similar processes, but inevitable differences are present, too. Sialic acids and glycoproteins containing sialic acids have important roles, and the role of Siglecs is also highlighted. Also, similarities and differences in damages caused by pathogens and sterile agents are briefly summarized. In addition, the roles of adhesion molecules linked to each other, and the whole event of inflammatory processes are presented. When considering practical consequences it is stressed that the structure (building up) of the organism and the defending function of inflammation both have fundamental importance. Inflammation has a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and the unimpaired somato-psychological state of the organism. Thus, inflammation serves as a tool of organism identical with the natural immune response, inseparably connected with the specific, adaptive immune response. The main events of the inflammatory processes take place in the connective tissue.

  15. Quantitative characterization of viscoelastic behavior in tissue-mimicking phantoms and ex vivo animal tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashkan Maccabi

    Full Text Available Viscoelasticity of soft tissue is often related to pathology, and therefore, has become an important diagnostic indicator in the clinical assessment of suspect tissue. Surgeons, particularly within head and neck subsites, typically use palpation techniques for intra-operative tumor detection. This detection method, however, is highly subjective and often fails to detect small or deep abnormalities. Vibroacoustography (VA and similar methods have previously been used to distinguish tissue with high-contrast, but a firm understanding of the main contrast mechanism has yet to be verified. The contributions of tissue mechanical properties in VA images have been difficult to verify given the limited literature on viscoelastic properties of various normal and diseased tissue. This paper aims to investigate viscoelasticity theory and present a detailed description of viscoelastic experimental results obtained in tissue-mimicking phantoms (TMPs and ex vivo tissues to verify the main contrast mechanism in VA and similar imaging modalities. A spherical-tip micro-indentation technique was employed with the Hertzian model to acquire absolute, quantitative, point measurements of the elastic modulus (E, long term shear modulus (η, and time constant (τ in homogeneous TMPs and ex vivo tissue in rat liver and porcine liver and gallbladder. Viscoelastic differences observed between porcine liver and gallbladder tissue suggest that imaging modalities which utilize the mechanical properties of tissue as a primary contrast mechanism can potentially be used to quantitatively differentiate between proximate organs in a clinical setting. These results may facilitate more accurate tissue modeling and add information not currently available to the field of systems characterization and biomedical research.

  16. Quantitative characterization of viscoelastic behavior in tissue-mimicking phantoms and ex vivo animal tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maccabi, Ashkan; Shin, Andrew; Namiri, Nikan K; Bajwa, Neha; St John, Maie; Taylor, Zachary D; Grundfest, Warren; Saddik, George N

    2018-01-01

    Viscoelasticity of soft tissue is often related to pathology, and therefore, has become an important diagnostic indicator in the clinical assessment of suspect tissue. Surgeons, particularly within head and neck subsites, typically use palpation techniques for intra-operative tumor detection. This detection method, however, is highly subjective and often fails to detect small or deep abnormalities. Vibroacoustography (VA) and similar methods have previously been used to distinguish tissue with high-contrast, but a firm understanding of the main contrast mechanism has yet to be verified. The contributions of tissue mechanical properties in VA images have been difficult to verify given the limited literature on viscoelastic properties of various normal and diseased tissue. This paper aims to investigate viscoelasticity theory and present a detailed description of viscoelastic experimental results obtained in tissue-mimicking phantoms (TMPs) and ex vivo tissues to verify the main contrast mechanism in VA and similar imaging modalities. A spherical-tip micro-indentation technique was employed with the Hertzian model to acquire absolute, quantitative, point measurements of the elastic modulus (E), long term shear modulus (η), and time constant (τ) in homogeneous TMPs and ex vivo tissue in rat liver and porcine liver and gallbladder. Viscoelastic differences observed between porcine liver and gallbladder tissue suggest that imaging modalities which utilize the mechanical properties of tissue as a primary contrast mechanism can potentially be used to quantitatively differentiate between proximate organs in a clinical setting. These results may facilitate more accurate tissue modeling and add information not currently available to the field of systems characterization and biomedical research.

  17. Determination of radiocaesium in agriculture-related water samples containing suspended solids using gelling method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsunami, Hisaya; Shin, Moono; Takahashi, Yoshihiko; Shinano, Takuro; Kitajima, Shiori; Tsuchiya, Takashi

    2015-01-01

    After the TEPCO Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, the radiocaesium, which flowed into the paddy fields via irrigation water, have been widely investigated. When the concentration of radiocaesium in the water samples containing suspended solids were directly measured using a high purity germanium detector with a 2 L marinelli beaker, the radiocaesium concentration might be overestimated due to the sedimentation of the suspended solids during the measurement time. In fact, the values obtained by the direct method were higher than those obtained by the filtering method and/or the gelling method in most of the agriculture-related water samples. We concluded that the gelling method using sodium polyacrylate can be widely adapted for the analysis of the total radiocaesium in the agriculture-related water samples because of its many advantage such as simple preparation procedure, accurate analysis values, excellent long-term stability of geometry and low operating cost. (author)

  18. Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Relation to Circulating Androgens, SHBG, and LH in Young Men

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Torben Leo; Hagen, Claus; Wraae, Kristian

    2007-01-01

    Context: No large studies have examined the relation between circulating androgen levels and regional, abdominal adiposity in young men using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Objective: To study the role of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and SAT) on circulating androgens...

  19. Cavitation and water fluxes driven by ice water potential in Juglans regia during freeze-thaw cycles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charra-Vaskou, Katline; Badel, Eric; Charrier, Guillaume; Ponomarenko, Alexandre; Bonhomme, Marc; Foucat, Loïc; Mayr, Stefan; Améglio, Thierry

    2016-02-01

    Freeze-thaw cycles induce major hydraulic changes due to liquid-to-ice transition within tree stems. The very low water potential at the ice-liquid interface is crucial as it may cause lysis of living cells as well as water fluxes and embolism in sap conduits, which impacts whole tree-water relations. We investigated water fluxes induced by ice formation during freeze-thaw cycles in Juglans regia L. stems using four non-invasive and complementary approaches: a microdendrometer, magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray microtomography, and ultrasonic acoustic emissions analysis. When the temperature dropped, ice nucleation occurred, probably in the cambium or pith areas, inducing high water potential gradients within the stem. The water was therefore redistributed within the stem toward the ice front. We could thus observe dehydration of the bark's living cells leading to drastic shrinkage of this tissue, as well as high tension within wood conduits reaching the cavitation threshold in sap vessels. Ultrasonic emissions, which were strictly emitted only during freezing, indicated cavitation events (i.e. bubble formation) following ice formation in the xylem sap. However, embolism formation (i.e. bubble expansion) in stems was observed only on thawing via X-ray microtomography for the first time on the same sample. Ultrasonic emissions were detected during freezing and were not directly related to embolism formation. These results provide new insights into the complex process and dynamics of water movements and ice formation during freeze-thaw cycles in tree stems. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  20. Adipose Tissue Biology: An Update Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Meiliana

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major health problem in most countries in the world today. It increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver and some form of cancer. Adipose tissue biology is currently one of the “hot” areas of biomedical science, as fundamental for the development of novel therapeutics for obesity and its related disorders.CONTENT: Adipose tissue consist predominantly of adipocytes, adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs, vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, fibroblast, macrophages, and extracellular matrix. Adipose tissue metabolism is extremely dynamic, and the supply of and removal of substrates in the blood is acutely regulated according to the nutritional state. Adipose tissue possesses the ability to a very large extent to modulate its own metabolic activities including differentiation of new adipocytes and production of blood vessels as necessary to accommodate increasing fat stores. At the same time, adipocytes signal to other tissue to regulate their energy metabolism in accordance with the body's nutritional state. Ultimately adipocyte fat stores have to match the body's overall surplus or deficit of energy. Obesity causes adipose tissue dysfunction and results in obesity-related disorders. SUMMARY: It is now clear that adipose tissue is a complex and highly active metabolic and endocrine organ. Undestanding the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and its associated disease cluster is also of great significance as the need for new and more effective therapeutic strategies is more urgent than ever.  KEYWORDS: obesity, adipocyte, adipose, tissue, adipogenesis, angiogenesis, lipid droplet, lipolysis, plasticity, dysfunction.

  1. Determination of the Relative Sediment Concentration in Water Bodies Using Remote Sensing Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Germán Vargas Cuervo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies for the determination of the relative concentration of sediments (RCS in bodies of water such as rivers, marshes and river deltas require specialized equipment, field work and laboratory analyses of samples, all with high economic costs. Remote sensing, in regions of the optical electromagnetic spectrum, particularly in the visible range between 0.4 and 0.6 µm, shows radiometric contrasts associated with the relative concentration of sediments in water bodies. This work presents an analysis of the principal spectral, spatial and radiometric properties or characteristics of remote sensors for the determination of the relative concentration of sediments in bodies of water, a methodological process for its cartography at a given time or an established period of time. This cartography is based on digital processing of images rather than direct measurements in the field. Lastly, applications are presented for the delta coast of the southwestern area of the Colombian Caribbean between Barranquilla and Punta Piedra and in the lacustrine area of the Guajaro Reservoir and the Jobo and Capote Wetlands in the upper Canal del Dique, Colombia.

  2. Evaluation of the dose to man in relation to the behavior of tritium from irrigation water in agricultural crops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirchmann, R.; Bruwaene, R. van; Koch, G.; Grauby, A.; Delmas, J.; Athalye, V.

    1977-01-01

    A research program on the transfer of tritium from the irrigation water in the soil-plant environment provides valuable ecological information on the effects of tritium releases from nuclear installations under temperate humide and mediterranean climatic conditions. Field studies are carried out on experimental plots by spraying the crops with irrigation water contaminated with tritium on a single dose, the reference level chosen is 1 nCi/litre. The following crops are investigated: prairie, rye-grass, potato, pea, barley, carrot and sugarbeet as temperate region cultures, and vineyard, olive-tree and orange-tree as mediterranean cultures. Soil and plants samples are collected for radioassay to determine the tritium incorporation in tissue water and organic matter fractions. The tritium activity in these crops after harvest is correlated to the level of radiation dose received through human diet [fr

  3. Characterization of the quality of water, bed sediment, and fish in Mittry Lake, Arizona, 2014–15

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermosillo, Edyth; Coes, Alissa L.

    2017-03-01

    Water, bed-sediment, and fish sampling was conducted in Mittry Lake, Arizona, in 2014–15 to establish current water-quality conditions of the lake. The parameters of temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, and alkalinity were measured in the field. Water samples were collected and analyzed for dissolved major ions, dissolved trace elements, dissolved nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved pesticides, bacteria, and suspended-sediment concentrations. Bed-sediment and fish samples were analyzed for trace elements, halogenated compounds, total mercury, and methylmercury.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels in drinking water were exceeded for sulfate, chloride, and manganese in the water samples. Trace-element concentrations were relatively similar between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Concentrations for nutrients in all water samples were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s water-quality standards for aquatic and wildlife uses, and all bacteria levels were below the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s recommended recreational water-quality criteria. Three out of 81 pesticides were detected in the water samples.Trace-element concentrations in bed sediment were relatively consistent between the inlet, middle, and outlet locations. Lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc concentrations, however, decreased from the inlet to outlet locations. Concentrations for lead, nickel, and zinc in some bed-sediment samples exceeded consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect concentrations. Eleven out of 61 halogenated compounds were detected in bed sediment at the inlet location, whereas three were detected at the middle location, and five were detected at the outlet location. No methylmercury was detected in bed sediment. Total mercury was detected in bed sediment at concentrations below the consensus-based sediment-quality guidelines probable effect

  4. Water quality analysis and its relation to the scaling and corrosion tendency in an open water cooling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaini Hamzah; Halimah Abdul Ghani; Masitah Alias

    2008-01-01

    The problem of scaling and corrosion are common phenomena in a water cooling system especially the open cooling system. This study was carried out in Temenggor dam with an objective to check the water quality at the intake and tailrace of the hydro power plant. In-situ measurement and laboratory analysis on the water samples were carried out. Seven parameters were measured in-situ for example temperature, pH, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solid (TDS), turbidity, and chlorine concentration. The water samples were collected using water sampler at three locations near the intake area at surface, and at the interval of one meter up to three meter depth. Two locations at the tailrace also were collected in the same pattern. These samples were brought back to the laboratory in UiTM, Shah Alam for further analysis. Laboratory analysis includes alkalinity, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and Fe 2+ concentrations, and total suspended solid (TSS). From the results, the LSI, RSI and PSI were calculated to predict the scaling and corrosion tendency. The index shows strong tendency for corrosion to take place in the cooling system as the related factors supported it. (author)

  5. Water sorption in wood and modified wood at high values of relative humidity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Engelund, Emil Tang; Thygesen, Lisbeth Garbrecht; Hoffmeyer, Preben

    2010-01-01

    A theoretical study of the amount of moisture held in wood as capillary condensed water in the relative humidity (RH) range of 90–99.9% is carried out. The study is based on idealized geometries of the softwood structure related to micrographs. It is confined to structural elements such as bordered......, and different degrees of pit aspiration are assigned to earlywood and latewood. We suggest based on the results that capillary condensation makes only a very small contribution to the equilibrium moisture content. At 99.9% RH the contribution amounts to less than 0.0035 kg water per kg dry wood. This is in line...

  6. Tissue distribution of histo-blood group antigens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ravn, V; Dabelsteen, Erik

    2000-01-01

    carrier carbohydrate chains. Histo-blood group antigens are found in most epithelial tissues. Meanwhile, several factors influence the type, the amount, and the histological distribution of histoblood group antigens, i.e. the ABO, Lewis, and saliva-secretor type of the individual, and the cell- and tissue......The introduction of immunohistochemical techniques and monoclonal antibodies to specific carbohydrate epitopes has made it possible to study in detail the tissue distribution of histo-blood group antigens and related carbohydrate structures. The present paper summarizes the available data...... concerning the histological distribution of histo-blood group antigens and their precursor structures in normal human tissues. Studies performed have concentrated on carbohydrate antigens related to the ABO, Lewis, and TTn blood group systems, i.e. histo-blood group antigens carried by type 1, 2, and 3 chain...

  7. The Soil Characteristic Curve at Low Water Contents: Relations to Specific Surface Area and Texture

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Resurreccion, Augustus; Møldrup, Per; Schjønning, Per

    Accurate description of the soil-water retention curve (SWRC) at low water contents is important for simulating water dynamics, plant-water relations, and microbial processes in surface soil. Soil-water retention at soil-water matric potential of less than -10 MPa, where adsorptive forces dominate...... that measurements by traditional pressure plate apparatus generally overestimated water contents at -1.5 MPa (plant wilting point). The 41 soils were classified into four textural classes based on the so-called Dexter index n (= CL/OC), and the Tuller-Or (TO) general scaling model describing the water film...... thickness at a given soil-water matric potential ( 10, the estimated SA from the dry soil-water retention was in good agreement with the SA measured using ethylene glycol monoethyl ether (SA_EGME). A strong relationship between the ratio...

  8. Relative controls of natural and socio-economic drivers on water availability over India: an exploratory modelling analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deshmukh, A.; Singh, R.; Kumar, R.

    2017-12-01

    India, a water stressed nation with an estimated per capita water availability of 1500m3/year/person, is projected to surpass China in population to become the most populous country by 2022. This increasing population will further exacerbate the water stress, which will also vary due to climate and land use change. Here, we quantify the relative controls on per capita water availability from climatic, non-climatic and socio-economic factors. We achieve this by using several definitions of per capita water availability and accounting for virtual water trade transfer. Our exploratory analysis employs the recently developed probabilistic Budyko framework modified to account for inter-regional virtual water trade. We find that the Indo-Gangetic plains and Southeastern parts of India emerge as vulnerable regions where a growing population will lead to a drastic reduction in per capita water availability. The proposed framework can serve as a prototype for understanding the relative importance of socio-economic interventions versus water infrastructure or demand reduction investments.

  9. Age-related degradation of boiling water reactor vessel internals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ware, A.G.; Shah, V.N.

    1992-01-01

    Researchers at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory performed an assessment of the aging of the reactor internals in boiling water reactors (BWRs), and identified the unresolved technical issues related to the degradation of these components. The overall life-limiting mechanism is intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking, fatigue, and thermal aging embrittlement are other potential degradation mechanisms. Several failures in BWR internals have been caused by a combination of factors such as environment, high residual or preload stresses, and flow-induced vibration. The ASME Code Section XI in-service inspection requirements are insufficient for detecting aging-related degradation at many locations in reactor internals. Many of the potential locations for IGSCC or fatigue are not accessible for inspection. (orig.)

  10. Tissue equivalence in neutron dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nutton, D.H.; Harris, S.J.

    1980-01-01

    A brief review is presented of the essential features of neutron tissue equivalence for radiotherapy and gives the results of a computation of relative absorbed dose for 14 MeV neutrons, using various tissue models. It is concluded that for the Bragg-Gray equation for ionometric dosimetry it is not sufficient to define the value of W to high accuracy and that it is essential that, for dosimetric measurements to be applicable to real body tissue to an accuracy of better than several per cent, a correction to the total absorbed dose must be made according to the test and tissue atomic composition, although variations in patient anatomy and other radiotherapy parameters will often limit the benefits of such detailed dosimetry. (U.K.)

  11. Musculoskeletal Application of Ultrasound Elastography: Soft Tissue Lipoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Ja Young; Hong, Sung Hwan; Yoo, Hye Jin; Kim, Su Jin

    2010-01-01

    Real-time freehand elastography. Conventional ultrasonography (US) and real-time freehand US elastography were performed in nine patients (M:F = 4:5: mean age, 53 years: 29-64 years) with soft-tissue lipoma confirmed by surgical resection. The elastogram was color-coded by 256 scales according to the degree of strain induced by light compression. The relative strains for lipoma and surrounding soft tissue were measured and mean strains were examined by using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. The elastograms showed red to sky-blue color in all lipomas and predominantly black in surrounding soft tissue. The mean relative strain (±standard deviation) was 67.9±28.5, 77.1±25.3, 63.3±31.2, and 15.7±18.3 for total, intramuscular, and subcutaneous lipoma, and surrounding soft tissue, respectively. The mean strain of the lipoma was significantly higher than one of surrounding soft tissue (p = .008, Wilcoxon signed rank test). Real-time elastography yields characteristic elastographic features of soft tissue lipoma distinguishing from those of adjacent soft tissues

  12. Evaluation of erbium:YAG and holmium:YAG laser radiation and dental hard tissue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attrill, David Cameron

    Lasers have become increasingly established in medicine as effective alternatives or adjuncts to conventional techniques. In dentistry, several clinical laser systems have been developed and marketed, but their applications have been limited to soft tissue surgery. To date, no laser has been capable of effectively cutting or modifying the highly mineralised dental tissues of enamel and dentine. The aim of this study was to evaluate two new laser systems for use in dentistry through a series of in vitro experiments. Both generic erbium and holmium lasers have theoretically superior operating characteristics over currently established lasers for applications with dental hard tissues. The two lasers investigated in this study were pulsed Er:YAG (lambda=2.94) a.m. and Cr-Tm-Ho:YAG (lambda=2.1mu.m). Both operated with a macropulse duration of approximately 200lambdas, at pulse repetition rates of 2-8Hz and mean pulse energies up to 230mJ. Radiation was focused using CaF[2] lenses (f=50-120mm). The lasers could be operated with or without the addition of a surface water film at the interaction site. Tissue removal efficiency was expressed as a latent heat of ablation (LHA, kJ/cm[3]) using a modification of the technique described by Charlton et al. (1990). The mean LHA's for the Er:YAG laser were 6.24kJ/cm[3] and 22.99kJ/cm[3] with dentine and enamel respectively without water, and 10.07kJ/cm[3] and 18.73kJ/cm[3] for dentine and enamel with water. The Cr-Tm-Ho:YAG laser was unable to effectively remove enamel at the fluences and pulse energies available; the mean LHA's for the Cr-Tm- Ho:YAG laser with dentine were 82.79kJ/cm3 and 57.57kJ/cm3 with and without water respectively. The Cr-Tm-Ho;YAG was approximately 8-9 times less efficient for tissue removal than the Er:YAG system. Er:YAG tissue removal with water was characterised by clean "surgical" cuts, comparable in histological appearance to those obtained using conventional instrumentation. Some thermal disruption

  13. Chronic consumption of fructose rich soft drinks alters tissue lipids of rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Botezelli Jose D

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fructose-based diets are apparently related to the occurrence of several metabolic dysfunctions, but the effects of the consumption of high amounts of fructose on body tissues have not been well described. The aim of this study was to analyze the general characteristics and the lipid content of different tissues of rats after chronic ingestion of a fructose rich soft drink. Methods Forty-five Wistar rats were used. The rats were divided into three groups (n = 15 and allowed to consume water (C, light Coca Cola ® (L or regular Coca Cola® (R as the sole source of liquids for eight weeks. Results The R group presented significantly higher daily liquid intake and significantly lower food intake than the C and L groups. Moreover, relative to the C and L groups, the R group showed higher triglyceride concentrations in the serum and liver. However, the L group animals presented lower values of serum triglycerides and cholesterol than controls. Conclusions Based on the results, it can be concluded that daily ingestion of a large amount of fructose- rich soft drink resulted in unfavorable alterations to the lipid profile of the rats.

  14. Water relations in culture media influence maturation of avocado somatic embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Márquez-Martín, Belén; Sesmero, Rafael; Quesada, Miguel A; Pliego-Alfaro, Fernando; Sánchez-Romero, Carolina

    2011-11-15

    Application of transformation and other biotechnological tools in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is hampered by difficulties in obtaining mature somatic embryos capable of germination at an acceptable rate. In this work, we evaluated the effect of different compounds affecting medium water relations on maturation of avocado somatic embryos. Culture media were characterized with respect to gel strength, water potential and osmotic potential. Improved production of mature somatic embryos was achieved with gelling agent concentrations higher than those considered standard. The osmotic agents such as sorbitol and PEG did not have positive effects on embryo maturation. The number of w-o mature somatic embryos per culture was positively correlated with medium gel strength. Gel strength was significantly affected by gelling agent type as well as by gelling agent and PEG concentration. Medium water potential was influenced by sorbitol concentration; incorporation of PEG to a culture medium did not affect medium water potential. The highest maturation results were achieved on a medium gelled with 10 gl(-1) agar. Moreover, these somatic embryos had improved germination rates. These results corroborate the role of water restriction as a key factor controlling maturation of somatic embryos. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Dealing with Drought: Decoupling Climatic and Management-Related Drivers of Water Conservation Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemati, A.; Rippy, M.; Grant, S. B.

    2015-12-01

    As global populations grow, cities in drought prone regions of the world such as California and South East Australia are faced with escalating water scarcity and water security challenges. The management approaches geared towards addressing these challenges are diverse. Given the myriad of possible approaches and the tendency to apply them in combination, successful management actions can be difficult to identify. Background climactic variability further complicates the story, making transfer of management lessons from one drought stressed region to another difficult. Here we use Melbourne, a city of 4.3 million people in South East Australia that recently faced and overcame a > 10 year "Millennium" drought, as a test case for evaluating the relative importance of various management-related and climactic factors in driving reductions in municipal water consumption (~60% in 12 years). Our analysis suggests that Melbourne's declining municipal consumption cannot be explained by potable substitution alone, as reductions in municipal consumption were not matched by increased use of alternative sources (e.g., urban rain or recycled water). Thus, water conservation behavior (not source switching) may be responsible for the majority of demand reduction in Melbourne. Interestingly, while voluntary or mandatory water restrictions appear to have substantially altered the rate of change of consumption near the end of Melbourne's Millennium drought (e.g., forcing a period of intense conservation), overall conservation behavior precedes these restrictions. This suggests that other rapidly implemented (and hither too unquantified) management approaches such as advertising or newspapers may have driven water conservation behavior early in the drought. Climatic factors, particularly precipitation may also have influenced conservation behavior; changes in precipitation were significantly positively correlated with changes in water consumption at a lag of 18 months. Similar

  16. 226Ra concentrations in crayfish tissues, water, and sediments from the Serpent River Basin in Northeastern Ontario, Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alikhan, M.A.

    1996-01-01

    Lower Serpent River, as well as Elliot, McCarthy and McCabe lakes had highest 226 Ra contamination, Chrisman, Quirke and Whiskey lakes a moderate one, Flack and Semiwhite lakes and the 'distant' control, Lake Wanapitei, the lowest. 226 Ra activity in Cambarus robustus tissues was directly related to their background levels. Thus, concentration coefficient (tissue/sediment concentrations) for 226 Ra ranged from 0.53 to 0.74 in highly contaminated Elliot and McCarthy lakes, 0.28 to 0.59 in moderately contaminated Quirke and Whiskey lakes, and from 0.27 to 3.44 in least contaminated Semiwhite and Flack lakes. Among various organs analysed, exoskeleton showed the highest (43.04 - 90.69%) and the tail muscles the lowest (2.95 -17.14%) 226 Ra activity. 226 Ra concentrations in the alimentary canal were considered a part of the ambient environment as they had not been absorbed

  17. Photon Entanglement Through Brain Tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Lingyan; Galvez, Enrique J; Alfano, Robert R

    2016-12-20

    Photon entanglement, the cornerstone of quantum correlations, provides a level of coherence that is not present in classical correlations. Harnessing it by study of its passage through organic matter may offer new possibilities for medical diagnosis technique. In this work, we study the preservation of photon entanglement in polarization, created by spontaneous parametric down-conversion, after one entangled photon propagates through multiphoton-scattering brain tissue slices with different thickness. The Tangle-Entropy (TS) plots show the strong preservation of entanglement of photons propagating in brain tissue. By spatially filtering the ballistic scattering of an entangled photon, we find that its polarization entanglement is preserved and non-locally correlated with its twin in the TS plots. The degree of entanglement correlates better with structure and water content than with sample thickness.

  18. Virtual water flows related to land use in an intensive agriculture in the Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klipstein, A.; Schneider, K.; Breuer, L.; Frede, H. G.

    2009-04-01

    Due to low annual precipitation, agricultural production in Uzbekistan is depending on irrigation from the Syrdarya and Amudarya rivers to a great deal. One of the most important cash crops of the country is cotton. Current irrigation management leads to elevated groundwater levels, salinization of soils and to a degradation of soil and water resources. Through export of cotton and other crops, the problems related to water consumption and water management are transported beyond the producing country. The amount of water transported through production and export is referred to as virtual water. To distinguish between productive and unproductive partitioning of water flows, the terms green and blue water have been introduced. Information on virtual water flows due to crop production usually only exist on country level. To reduce uncertainties related to generalization, the effect of land management and environmental factors on the partitioning of water flows needs to be studied on smaller scales. The presented study analyzes water fluxes in an intensively used agricultural area in the Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan. The study aims to a) quantify crop specific water consumption in agricultural production under current management and b) analyze water use efficiency as subject to land use and irrigation management. Based on crop production, irrigation management and environmental conditions in the study area, virtual water flows will be calculated on the level of agricultural collectives (Water Users Associations). In a further step, the partitioning of green and blue water fluxes will be quantified. Alternative scenarios for improved water management will be analyzed in a model study.

  19. Soft-tissue tension total knee arthroplasty.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asano, Hiroshi; Hoshino, Akiho; Wilton, Tim J

    2004-08-01

    It is far from clear how best to define the proper strength of soft-tissue tensioning in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We attached a torque driver to the Monogram balancer/tensor device and measured soft-tissue tension in full extension and 90 degrees flexion during TKA. In our surgical procedure, when we felt proper soft-tissue tension was being applied, the mean distraction force was noted to be 126N in extension and 121N in flexion. There was no significant correlation between soft-tissue tension and the postoperative flexion angle finally achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the actual distraction forces in relation to soft-tissue tension in TKA. Further study may reveal the most appropriate forces to achieve proper soft-tissue tension in the wide variety of circumstances presenting at knee arthroplasty.

  20. The major and trace element chemistry of fish and lake water within ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chemical elements in lake water are incorporated into fish tissues through bioconcentration and biomagnification. Lake water and fish tissue samples from 23 lakes, located within 4 major South African catchments, were analysed to investigate the link between element concentrations in lake water and otolith, fin spine, ...