Cadmium, mercury, iron, copper, manganese and zinc in the liver and kidney of the Icelandic lamb

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the levels of cadmium, mercury, iron, copper, manganese and zinc in lamb liver and kidney from six areas in Iceland and to compare the results against aerial deposition data for the same elements obtained using moss as an indicator organism. The total number of samples was 96 for each organ. Cadmium was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry, mercury by coldvapour atomic absorption, and iron, copper, manganese and zinc by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry. Analysis of variance determined significance differences among means for areas, and Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to study correlation among trace elements in liver and kidney. The mean fresh weight concentrations in lamb liver and kidney respectively were 0.045 and 0.058mg kg -1 for cadmium, 0.009 and 0.012mgkg -1 for mercury, 141 and 52.7mgkg -1 for iron, 28.1 and 2.89mgkg -1 for copper, 4.01 and 1.13mgkg -1 for manganese and 48.7 and 25.2mgkg -1 for zinc. Concentrations of cadmium, mercury and copper in the liver and kidney of the Icelandic lamb were low compared with data from other countries. Iron concentrations in the organs, however, were high. No sample exceeded 46% of the proposed maximum level for cadmium in organs for human consumption in the EC. Cadmium, mercury, iron and copper in the liver and kidney differed significantly between areas. Deposition of cadmium and copper in moss was not a useful indicator in the evaluation of the susceptibility of the Icelandic lamb to accumulation of cadmium and cop per. However, iron levels in Icelandic lamb liver showed the same pattern as results for iron from the moss study. The cadmium and mercury levels of organs from lambs grazing in the vicinity of Mount Hekla a few months after its eruption did not indicate a significant contamination from volcanic activity.     

业主设计师设计

现代人对于居住环境的需求已经从"生存意识"进展到更高层次的"环境意识",而这之间的转化离不开设计师的设计,本文就当前家居装饰中业主、设计师、设计之间存在的一些问题进行了分析,针对业主提出了重视设计,信赖设计师并与其保持良好的沟通和合作的观点。     

Surface area and the seabed area, volume, depth, slope, and topographic variation for the world's seas, oceans, and countries

Depth and topography directly and indirectly influence most ocean environmental conditions, including light penetration and photosynthesis, sedimentation, current movements and stratification, and thus temperature and oxygen gradients. These parameters are thus likely to influence species distribution patterns and productivity in the oceans. They may be considered the foundation for any standardized classification of ocean ecosystems and important correlates of metrics of biodiversity (e.g., species richness and composition, fisheries). While statistics on ocean depth and topography are often quoted, how they were derived is rarely cited, and unless calculated using the same spatial resolution the resulting statistics will not be strictly comparable. We provide such statistics using the best available resolution (1-min) global bathymetry, and open source digital maps of the world's seas and oceans and countries' Exclusive Economic Zones, using a standardized methodology. We created a terrain map and calculated sea surface and seabed area, volume, and mean, standard deviation, maximum, and minimum, of both depth and slope. All the source data and our database are freely available online. We found that although the ocean is flat, and up to 71% of the area has a < 1 degree slope. It had over 1 million approximately circular features that may be seamounts or sea-hills as well as prominent mountain ranges or ridges. However, currently available global data significantly underestimate seabed slopes. The 1-min data set used here predicts there are 68,669 seamounts compared to the 30,314 previously predicted using the same method but lower spatial resolution data. The ocean volume exceeds 1.3 billion km(3) (or 1.3 sextillion liters), and sea surface and seabed areas over 354 million km(2). We propose the coefficient of variation of slope as an index of topographic heterogeneity. Future studies may improve on this database, for example by using a more detailed bathymetry, and in situ measured data. The database could be used to classify ocean features, such as abyssal plains, ridges, and slopes, and thus provide the basis for a standards based classification of ocean topography.     

Age, segment, and horn disease affect expression of cytokines, growth factors, and receptors in the epidermis and dermis of the bovine claw

The aim of this study was to examine changes in RNA expression for growth factors, cytokines, and receptors in epidermal-dermal tissues of the bovine claw relative to host age, claw segment, and disease state of the horn. Epidermal-dermal tissues were collected from the coronary, wall, sole, and bulb segments of 8- to 9-mo-old Holstein fetuses, normal adult cows, and adult cows with sole ulceration. Anatomic and pathologic characteristics were determined in tissues stained with eosin and hematoxylin, and RNA expression levels were evaluated using real-time, quantitative PCR. In normal tissues, certain RNA expression levels were clearly affected by host age: 290.0-, 610.0-, 53.4-, and 8.1-fold greater expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor was observed in fetal coronary, wall, sole, and bulb segment relative to adult tissues, respectively. A claw segment effect was also observed in that IL-1α expression was greater (1.59-fold) in the normal adult wall relative to the coronary segment, and IL-18 expression was greater (16.2-fold) in the normal adult sole compared with the coronary segment and 2.88 greater in the fetal sole relative to the bulb segment. Sole ulceration was associated with hemorrhage, thrombosis, inflammation, and striking increases in IL-1β, IL-18, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and with less dramatic, albeit measurable, changes in IL-1 type I receptor, IL-1 receptor antagonist, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Amidst striking increases in keratinocyte growth factor receptor (i.e., 21.0-fold, 10.4-fold, 0, and 21.6-fold in the coronary, wall, sole, and bulb segments, respectively), a concomitant decrease occurred in keratinocyte growth factor (i.e., 0.80-, 0.54-, 0.56-, and 0.72-fold, respectively). The results demonstrated changes in disease state and, to a lesser extent, claw segment and were accompanied by alterations in the RNA expression of several cytokines, growth factors, and receptors present in the normal claw.     

The levels of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminium in the meat, liver and kidney of swedish pigs and cattle

The levels of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminium were determined in samples of meat, liver and kidney from pigs and cattle from Swedish slaughterhouses. The results have been compared with those reported from other investigations carried out in recent years. For zinc, copper, manganese and selenium, the mean levels found in the different tissues were very similar to those reported in previous studies. The mean levels of chromium and nickel were found to be in the range less than 0.010-0.015 mg/kg, regardless of the type of tissue. Cobalt levels ranged from 0.001 to 0.043 mg/kg, the highest levels being in the liver samples. The mean levels of aluminium were between 0.024 and 0.068 mg/kg. Tissues from cattle contained approximately twice as much aluminium as tissues from pigs. Analytical quality assurance was carried out by analysing standard reference materials. A great effort was made to minimize and check contamination. This may partly explain the fact that the levels of chromium, nickel, and aluminium found in the present study are among the lowest reported.     

The levels of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminium in the meat, liver and kidney of swedish pigs and cattle

Summary The levels of zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminium were determined in samples of meat, liver and kidney from pigs and cattle from Swedish slaughterhouses. The results have been compared with those reported from other investigations carried out in recent years. For zinc, copper, manganese and selenium, the mean levels found in the different tissues were very similar to those reported in previous studies. The mean levels of chromium and nickel were found to be in the range <0.010–0.015 mg/kg, regardless of the type of tissue. Cobalt levels ranged from 0.001 to 0.043 mg/kg, the highest levels being in the liver samples. The mean levels of aluminium were between 0.024 and 0.068 mg/kg. Tissues from cattle contained approximately twice as much aluminium as tissues from pigs. Analytical quality assurance was carried out by analysing standard reference materials. A great effort was made to minimize and check contamination. This may partly explain the fact that the levels of chromium, nickel, and aluminium found in the present study are among the lowest reported.

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Gehalt an Zink, Kupfer, Mangan, Selen, Chrom, Nickel, Kobalt und Aluminium in Fleisch, Leber und Nieren von schwedischen Schweinen und Rindvieh

Zusammenfassung Es wurde der Gehalt an Zink, Kupfer, Mangan, Selen, Chrom, Nickel, Kobalt und Aluminium in Fleisch, Leber und Nieren vom Schwein und Rind aus schwedischen Schlachthäusern bestimmt. Diese Ergebnisse wurden mit denen anderer Untersuchungen verglichen. Die Durchschnittswerte für Zink, Kupfer, Mangan und Selen in verschiedenen Geweben waren ungefähr die gleichen wie in früheren Untersuchungen; die für Chrom und Nickel lagen alle im Intervall <0,010 bis zu 0,015 mg/kg, unabhängig von der Art der Gewebe, und die für Kobalt zwischen 0,001 und 0,043 mg/kg, mit den höchsten Werten in der Leber. Für Aluminium ergaben sich Durchschnittswerte zwischen 0,024 und 0,068 mg/kg, wobei die Gewebe vom Rind ungefahr doppelt so viel Aluminium enthalten wie die Gewebe vom Schwein. Die analytische Qualitätskontrolle wurde mit Referenzmaterial durchgeführt. Viel Arbeit wurde zur Minimierung und Kontrolle der Kontamination aufgewendet. Das kann zu einem Teil erklären, daß die Werte von Chrom, Nickel und Aluminium unserer Untersuchung zu den niedrigsten bisher veröffentlichten Werten gehören.

     

Isolation, characterization, and regulation of the prolactin receptor

The prolactin, or lactogenic hormone, receptor has been purified (approximately 80%) from lactating mouse liver and human term placenta by the nondenaturing zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate and a prolactin affinity column. The isolated "core-binding unit" has a molecular weight of 37,000 +/- 2,000 daltons. It retains the specificity for lactogenic hormones and binds prolactin with an affinity (Ka = 2 to 6 X 10(9) M-1) similar to that of the receptor as it occurs in its membranous environment (Ka = 3 to 5 X 10(9) M-1). Whether this "core-binding unit" exists on the cell surface in a cryptic or active form is influenced greatly by its association with other membrane proteins and the concentration of phosphatidylcholine within its local membranous environment.     

Effects of shade and sprinklers on performance, behavior, physiology, and the environment of heifers

The objective was to measure effects of cooling technique (shade vs. water sprinklers) on performance, behavior, physiology, and the environmental effect of 40 Holstein heifers housed in drylot corrals during the hot summer months. The experiment was a replicated crossover design with four 21-d periods and 2 treatments: 1) shades installed in the front half of the pen or 2) sprinklers, which applied water to the pen surface at 2-h intervals from 1100 to 1900 h. Animal performance measures were dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency (gain:feed). Behavioral measures, elimination patterns, and corral spatial distribution were measured in 5-min scan frequencies over four 24-h periods. Physiological measures were rectal temperature, respiration rate, urinary urea N, and blood urea N. Environmental measures were corral soil surface temperature and moisture, particulate matter, and surface NH₃ volatilization; meteorological measures were also collected. Shaded compared with sprinkled heifers had increased dry matter intake (3.4%), increased average daily gain (14%), and increased feed efficiency (11%). Heifers in shaded vs. sprinkler treatments had decreased respiration rates (13%). Behavioral differences between the treatments varied by time of day. Heifers spent most time in either the shaded or sprinkled areas of their corrals (65.9 and 64.2%, respectively). Elimination behavior occurred predominantly at the front of the corral in close proximity to the feed bunks and additionally at the water trough in sprinkled corrals. Sprinkler treatment had a 31.7% greater average corral surface moisture than the shaded treatment. Corral surface temperature varied based on areas of surface moisture, shade location, and elimination concentration within the corral. Sprinkled corrals had less particulate matter emissions than shaded (25%), but NH₃ emissions were 46% greater in sprinkler vs. shaded treatment. Overall, the use of shade in heifer corrals improved heifer performance and physiological measures, but sprinkler treatment had less NH₃ emissions from corral surfaces under heat stress conditions. Both cooling techniques affected spatial distribution and behaviors of the heifers, which affected pen usage and surface characteristics.     

Brain Evolution,the Determinates of Food Choice,and the Omnivore's Dilemma

A coevolutionary paradigm using a biocultural perspective can help to unravel the complex interactions that led to the contemporary pattern of eating. Evolutionary history helps to understand the adaptation of diet and its nutritional implications. Anatomical and behavioral changes linked to changing dietary patterns in the Paleolithic resulted in an adaptive framework that affects modern diet. The evolution of an expanding brain, a shrinking large intestine, and lengthening small intestine necessitated a demand for nutritionally dense foods. The key to these changes is an understanding of the response to the omnivore's dilemma. Omnivores in their search for new items to feed their varied diet (neophilia) have a challenge when they fear (neophobia) novel items that may be poisonous and can cause death. The inborn mechanism initiates palate fatigue (sensory-specific satiety) ensuring a variety of foods will be eaten. Variety will limit the impact of toxins ingested and provide a more balanced diet. The development of cuisine, a momentous event in history, mediated the conflict, and changed the course of human evolution. The cuisine, a biocultural construct, defines which items found in nature are edible, how these products are transformed into food, the flavors used to add a sensory dimension to foods, and rules of eating or etiquette. Etiquette defines how, when, and with whom we eat. Patterns of eating in the modern setting are the end product of the way that Homo sapiens evolved and resolved the omnivore's dilemma. Control of fire and cooking expanded the range of available foods by creating a class of foods that are “predigested.” An essential element to the evolution of the human diet was the transition to agriculture as the primary mode of subsistence. The Neolithic revolution dramatically narrowed the dietary niche by decreasing the variety of available foods, with the shift to intensive agriculture creating a dramatic decline in human nutrition. The recent industrialization of the world food system has resulted in a nutritional transition in which developing nations are simultaneously experiencing undernutrition and obesity. In addition, an abundance of inexpensive, high-density foods laden with sugar and fats is available to a population that expends little energy to obtain such large numbers of calories. Furthermore, the abundant variety of ultraprocessed foods overrides the sensory-specific satiety mechanism leading to overconsumption.     

A simplified method for the extraction of the metals Fe,Zn, Cu,Ni, Cd,Pb, Cr,Co and Mn from soils and sewage sludges

The method described for digestion of soil samples with aqua regia is simple, flexible and safe to operate with large sample throughout. At least nine metals can be determined in the resulting solutions with errors of <5%. The results compare favourably with those from reflux aqua regia and averaged 88% of the certified total values for reference soils and 88% of those for reference sewage sludges.     

Mobilization, adsorption, and bioavailability of Pt and Pd in coastal sediments: the role of the polychaete, Arenicola marina

The biogeochemical behavior of Pt and Pd in coastal sediments has been examined in a series of microcosms, both in the presence and absence of the deposit-feeding invertebrate, Arenicola marina. When metals were introduced to the overlying water column as solutes from acidified standards, A. marina dramatically enhanced their sorption to sediment throughout the core depth (14 cm) compared with an unfaunated control by exposing a greater surface area of particles to more rapidly ventilating contaminated water. After a 10 day incubation period, the assimilation efficiency (AE) by A. marina was about 10% for Pt and 1% for Pd. Calculations based on either partition constants or operational measures of metal bioaccessibility in sediment (using the protein, BSA) suggested that both aqueous and dietary sources of metal were important When Pt and Pd were introduced to the sediment-water interface as components of ground catalytic converter particles, significant subduction was effected by A. marina, and metals were solubilized to a greater extent than in an unfaunated control. AE in these experiments was < 0.1% for Pt and about 1% for Pd, and the most important vector for assimilation appeared to be from the aqueous phase via partial solubilization of metal from catalytic material. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the availability, cycling, and fate of Pt and Pd in contaminated estuaries and coastal waters.     

Geographical,temporal, and species variation of the polyether toxins,azaspiracids, in shellfish

Azaspiracid Poisoning (AZP) is a new toxic syndrome that has caused human intoxications throughout Europe following the consumption of mussels (Mytilus edulis), harvested in Ireland. Shellfish intoxication is a consequence of toxin-bearing microalgae in the shellfish food chain, and these studies demonstrated a wide geographic distribution of toxic mussels along the entire western coastal region of Ireland. The first identification of azaspiracids in other bivalve mollusks including oysters (Crassostrea gigas), scallops (Pecten maximus), clams (Tapes phillipinarium), and cockles (Cardium edule) is reported. Importantly, oysters were the only shellfish that accumulated azaspiracids at levels that were comparable with mussels. The highest levels of total azaspiracids (microg/g) recorded to-date were mussels (4.2), oysters (2.45), scallops (0.40), cockles (0.20), and clams (0.61). An examination of the temporal variation of azaspiracid contamination of mussels in a major shellfish production area revealed that, although maximum toxin levels were recorded during the late summer period, significant intoxications were observed at periods when marine dinoflagellate populations were low. Although human intoxications have so far only been associated with mussel consumption, the discovery of significant azaspiracid accumulation in other bivalve mollusks could pose a threat to human health.     

Impact of transglutaminase on the textural, physicochemical, and structural properties of chicken skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles

This study examined the effects of microbial transglutaminase (MTG; 3.1 mg/ml) on chicken skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles; the meat containing the different muscle types was shaped into sausages and treated at 40 °C and/or 78 °C for 30 min. Although the three muscle types were obtained from the same bird, the effects of MTG addition were not uniform. All the muscle types showed a significant increase in the breaking strength (P < 0.01), but skeletal muscle exhibited the maximum increase. All samples showed a decrease in the fluorescence intensity and a significant reduction in the concentration of proteins that were extracted in a high ionic strength solution (P < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy images and histological studies revealed that different muscle types had different physical structures and frameworks after MTG treatment, which is a reflection of the differences in the reaction specificity of MTG with different muscle proteins. Histological studies revealed that the reactions of MTG with meat proteins are both exogenous and endogenous. Cooking loss data suggested that MTG did not have any negative effect on water retention during cooking. MTG appears to be a functional and contributive substance since the results suggest that MTG can function on all muscle types that are mechanically processed for different industrial applications. MTG aggregates muscle proteins in different ways that improve their organoleptic properties such as texture, appearance, and water retention.     

Impact of transglutaminase on the textural,physicochemical, and structural properties of chicken skeletal,smooth, and cardiac muscles

This study examined the effects of microbial transglutaminase (MTG; 3.1 mg/ml) on chicken skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles; the meat containing the different muscle types was shaped into sausages and treated at 40 °C and/or 78 °C for 30 min. Although the three muscle types were obtained from the same bird, the effects of MTG addition were not uniform. All the muscle types showed a significant increase in the breaking strength (P < 0.01), but skeletal muscle exhibited the maximum increase. All samples showed a decrease in the fluorescence intensity and a significant reduction in the concentration of proteins that were extracted in a high ionic strength solution (P < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy images and histological studies revealed that different muscle types had different physical structures and frameworks after MTG treatment, which is a reflection of the differences in the reaction specificity of MTG with different muscle proteins. Histological studies revealed that the reactions of MTG with meat proteins are both exogenous and endogenous. Cooking loss data suggested that MTG did not have any negative effect on water retention during cooking. MTG appears to be a functional and contributive substance since the results suggest that MTG can function on all muscle types that are mechanically processed for different industrial applications. MTG aggregates muscle proteins in different ways that improve their organoleptic properties such as texture, appearance, and water retention.