Lead,cadmium, and arsenic residues in animal tissues in relation to those in their surrounding habitat

The relationships of the residues of lead, cadmium, and arsenic in animal tissues to those in surrounding vegetation and soil were determined in a natural habitat representing a wide range of such residues. The samples studied were selected from 18 different locations. Analyses were performed on a total of 113 animals, 332 plant specimens (representing 33 species), and 408 soil samples (taken at different depths). For the purpose of evaluating relationships, the samples from each location were averaged and reported as parts per million on a dry weight basis. The average lead residues from different locations ranged from 1.4–9.2 ppm in the liver, 45–195 in bones, 4–283 in vegetation, and 15–1399 in soil samples. The cadmium contents ranged from 1–27 ppm in the liver, 3–77 in bones, 0.5–5 in vegetation, and 1–10 in soil. The arsenic contents in different components of the ecosystem varied with an average of 1–9 ppm in liver, 0.6–94 in vegetation, and 7–655 in soil samples. The soil residues varied considerably according to the depth of sampling. Little variation was noted in different species of vegetation or in soil and vegetation samples according to the time and year of sampling.Statistical analyses performed on the averages indicated a significant correlation between vegetation and soil residues for all three elements, and also between animal to vegetation and animal to soil cadmium residues. Multiple linear correlations for all elements in soil, vegetation, and animal tissues were determined. The results indicated a possibility of an increase in cadmium in animal tissues depending upon the increased residues of this metal in the environment.     

Removal of Lissamine Red From Wastewater Using Waste Materials

Feasibility of a waste material, flyash, as a material for purification of wastewater containing Lissamine Red has been studied. Effects of time and concentration, temperature and pH on the removal of the dye have been studied. Lower concentrations favour the uptake of dye from water and the maximum removal was observed at a dye concentration of 20 mgL m 1 , 30°C, pH of 7 and adsorbent particle size of 53 µm. Dynamics of the uptake was studied using Lagergren's equation. The mass transfer coefficient was found to be 0.05 cmmin m 1 at a concentration of 20 mgL m 1 , 30°C and 53 µm particle size.     

Biocompatible electrospun tactic poly(methyl methacrylate) blend fibers

Uniform and beads free fibers of pristine syndiotactic PMMA (s-PMMA), isotactic PMMA (i-PMMA), and their blends in the ratio of s:i = 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 were successfully prepared using the electrospinning technique. The tactic PMMA blend fibers showed unique thermal stability and glass transition temperatures compared to their pristine counterparts. An interesting endotherm peak was observed for the s:i = 1:3 electrospun fibers, which might indicate a complex formation between the two tactic PMMAs. Systematic surface functionalities study by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) revealed the interactions between these two tactic PMMAs. Biocompatibility of tactic PMMA and their blend fibers was first time comparably investigated using HeLa as the model mammalian cell line; an intriguing observance was first revealed that the blend fibers showed better biocompatibility than both pristine ones, though the behind mechanism is not well understood yet.     

Characteristics of Exosomes and the Vascular Landscape Regulate Exosome Sequestration by Peripheral Tissues and Brain

Exosomes mediate intercellular communication, shuttling messages between cells and tissues. We explored whether exosome tissue sequestration is determined by the exosomes or the tissues using ten radiolabeled exosomes from human or murine, cancerous or noncancerous cell lines. We measured sequestration of these exosomes by the liver, kidney, spleen, and lung after intravenous injection into male CD-1 mice. Except for kidney sequestration of three exosomes, all exosomes were incorporated by all tissues, but sequestration levels varied greatly among exosomes and tissues. Species of origin (mouse vs. human) or source (cancerous vs. noncancerous cells) did not influence tissue sequestration. Sequestration of J774A.1 exosomes by liver involved the mannose-6 phosphate (M6P) receptor. Wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatments enhanced sequestration of exosomes by brain and lung but inhibited sequestration by liver and spleen. Response to LPS was not predictive of response to WGA. Path and heat map analyses included our published results for brain and found distinct clusters among the exosomes and the tissues. In conclusion, we found no evidence for a universal binding site controlling exosome-tissue interactions. Instead, sequestration of exosomes by tissues is differentially regulated by both exosomes and tissues and may be stimulated or inhibited by WGA and inflammation.     

Identification of Candidate mRNA Isoforms for Prostate Cancer-Risk SNPs Utilizing Iso-eQTL and sQTL Methods

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impacting the alternative splicing (AS) process (sQTLs) or isoform expression (iso-eQTL) are implicated as important cancer regulatory elements. To find the sQTL and iso-eQTL, we retrieved prostate cancer (PrCa) tissue RNA-seq and genotype data originating from 385 PrCa European patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We conducted RNA-seq analysis with isoform-based and splice event-based approaches. The MatrixEQTL was used to identify PrCa-associated sQTLs and iso-eQTLs. The overlap between sQTL and iso-eQTL with GWAS loci and those that are differentially expressed between cancer and normal tissue were identified. The cis-acting associations (FDR < 0.05) for PrCa-risk SNPs identified 42, 123, and 90 PrCa-associated cassette exons, intron retention, and mRNA isoforms belonging to 25, 95, and 83 genes, respectively; while assessment of trans-acting association (FDR < 0.05) yielded 59, 65, and 196 PrCa-associated cassette exons, intron retention and mRNA isoforms belonging to 35, 55, and 181 genes, respectively. The results suggest that functional PrCa-associated SNPs can play a role in PrCa genesis by making an important contribution to the dysregulation of AS and, consequently, impacting the expression of the mRNA isoforms.     

消费者期望驱动数据转换设计的发展

Σ-△数据转换架构可以弥补流水线型和SAR架构的性能差距,将为新一代的高性能和低成本终端解决方案打开一道大门.     

Interrelationships between total, direct, and diffuse solar radiation in the tropics

Formulas that directly yield intensities of direct and diffuse radiation on horizontal surfaces from measurements of hourly total radiation only have been developed. Alternatively, atmospheric turbidity and solar altitude can also yield similar results. These formulas result in obtaining relations similar to those given by Parmelee from data collected in the United States. The data for New Delhi have also been shown to agree with these correlations.

Computed values of direct solar radiation on a horizontal surface or at normal incidence, are expressed by a mathematical expression that is shown to agree closely with the computed values obtained by Rao and Seshadri.

Correlation between hourly direct and total transmission factors has been shown to depend on the solar altitude, in addition to the atmospheric turbidity.     

The processing electronics system for the pointed mode operation ofIXAE on the Indian satellite IRS-P3

Indian Remote Sensing Satellite-P3 (IRS-P3: 1996-017A) was launched into a near-Earth, polar, Sun-synchronous orbit by India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-D3) on March 21, 1996. The Indian X-ray Astronomy Experiment (IXAE) is one of the prime payloads onboard IRS-P3. IXAE has two sets of detectors: three pointed-mode proportional counters (PPCs) and one X-ray Sky Monitor (XSM). IRS-P3 is configured to operate in two modes, namely, Earth-pointing mode and stellar-pointing mode. In Earth-pointing mode the remote sensing payloads are in operation; in addition, XSM maps the sky for bright X-ray sources and X-ray transients. In stellar mode, the PPCs observe several Galactic, bright X-ray, and extragalactic sources. The microprocessor-based processing electronics system was designed and developed for PPC data-handling and telemetering the stored data to the ground station. The system has been working well from the day the IXAE was commissioned. The processing electronics system for the PPCs, its interfaces, and the in-orbit instrument performance are described. Some results of the pointed mode observations are also presented     

Characteristics of electrocodeposited Ni-Co-SiC composite coating

Electrodeposited composites are gaining importance for their advantages including low cost, ease and simplicity of operation to tailor made coatings for tribological applications. Generally, composites containing carbides (like SiC) are preferred for high wear resistance along with increased hardness, improved corrosion resistance, and high temperature oxidation resistance as compared to alloy and pure metal electroplating. In the present work, electrolytic codeposition technique was adopted in the deposition of Ni-Co-SiC composite coating on mild steel substrate, using nickel alloyed with cobalt as the binder phase with SiC as dispersed particles. To improve the properties of coating further, Cr plating was also performed. Since the particle size and volume percent variation of dispersoid have great importance in codeposition, so the effect of these two variables on the process of codeposition and properties was observed. Morphological studies of Ni-Co-SiC coating were carried out with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis to correlate the mechanical and corrosion behaviour of the coating.