Evaluation of zinc, cadmium and lead isotope fractionation during smelting and refining

To evaluate metallurgical processing as a source of Zn and Cd isotopic fractionation and to potentially trace their distribution in the environment, high-precision MC-ICP-MS Zn, Cd and Pb isotope ratio measurements were made for samples from the integrated Zn-Pb smelting and refining complex in Trail, B.C., Canada. Significant fractionation of Zn and Cd isotopes during processing of ZnS and PbS ore concentrates is demonstrated by the total variation in δ^66/64Zn and δ^114/110Cd values of 0.42‰ and 1.04‰, respectively, among all smelter samples.No significant difference is observed between the isotopic compositions of the Zn ore concentrates (δ^66/64Zn = 0.09 to 0.17‰; δ^114/110Cd = − 0.13 to 0.18‰) and the roasting product, calcine (δ^66/64Zn = 0.17‰; δ^114/110Cd = 0.05‰), due to ∼ 100% recovery from roasting. The overall Zn recovery from metallurgical processing is ∼ 98%, thus the refined Zn metal (δ^66/64Zn = 0.22‰) is not significantly fractionated relative to the starting materials despite significantly fractionated fume (δ^66/64Zn = 0.43‰) and effluent (δ^66/64Zn = 0.41 to 0.51‰). Calculated Cd recovery from metallurgical processing is 72-92%, with the majority of the unrecovered Cd lost during Pb operations (δ^114/110Cd = − 0.38‰). The refined Cd metal is heavy (δ^114/110Cd = 0.39 to 0.52‰) relative to the starting materials. In addition, significant fractionation of Cd isotopes is evidenced by the relatively light and heavy isotopic compositions of the fume (δ^114/110Cd = − 0.52‰) and effluent (δ^114/110Cd = 0.31 to 0.46‰). In contrast to Zn and Cd, Pb isotopes are homogenized by mixing during processing. The total variation observed in the Pb isotopic compositions of smelter samples is attributed to mixing of ore sources with different radiogenic signatures.     

Need for psycho-oncologic management in Germany--a comparison of present status and future needs

A comparison of acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient aftercare in Germany reveals significant differences in the quality and spreading of psychosocial services for cancer patients. Planning psychosocial care for cancer patients, we have to consider patients' need for psychosocial care as well as the health professionals' estimation of patients' needs and the demand for health care services. Analyses of patients' requirements have shown that the needs which patients defined themselves differ from the needs estimated by experts. Therefore, decisions made in health care must be based on systematic data acquired by various approaches. Within the frame of evaluation performed in the research program "Rehabilitation of Cancer Patients" funded by the German Ministry of Research (the former BMFT), data from two studies are presented investigating the need for psychosocial care in oncology using two different approaches. In one study we investigated the status quo of psychosocial care for cancer patients in acute hospitals (n = 585) and rehabilitation centers (n = 42). By use of the Delphi technique, the second study focuses on an analysis of patients' need estimated by health professionals (n = 34). Comparing both studies, deficits in psychosocial care for cancer patients were found especially in acute hospitals and outpatient aftercare services. Methodological problems of the two approaches are discussed and further research strategies are suggested.     

The macromelanophore locus and the melanoma oncogene Xmrk are separate genetic entities in the genome of Xiphophorus

Fish of the genus Xiphophorus are polymorphic for black pigmentation patterns. Certain intra- or interspecific hybrids exhibit enhanced expression of these patterns, leading in many cases to malignant melanoma. Because no recombination was ever observed between the pattern information and the genetic predisposition to develop melanoma after hybridization, a "tumor gene" (Tu) was postulated that encodes both phenotypes. A dominant oncogene, ONC-Xmrk, was then found to be necessary and sufficient for the transforming function of Tu. Here we present molecular evidence that ONC-Xmrk and the pigment pattern information are encoded by separate, although intimately linked loci. No ONC-Xmrk gene was present in the 15 Xiphophorus strains investigated which exhibit no black pigmentation pattern. Five different patterns from Xiphophorus maculatus, X. evelynae, X. milleri, X. cortezi, and X. montezumae were associated with ONC-Xmrk and were melanomagenic, while fish of X. helleri, X. variatus, X. nezahualcoyotl, and X. montezumae with five other patterns had no ONC-Xmrk and consequently did not produce hybrid melanoma. These data provide evidence that ONC-Xmrk is sufficient for tumorigenesis in Xiphophorus hybrids, and that a separate, pigment pattern-encoding locus is closely linked to it.     

Transient charge accumulation in pentacene field effect transistor with silver electrode

Time-resolved microscopic optical second harmonic generation (TRM-SHG) imaging was employed to study a transient charge accumulation in top-contact pentacene field effect transistor (FET) with Ag electrodes. It was demonstrated that the SHG signal at the edge of the Ag electrode decayed but remained in a steady state depending on biasing condition. An electric field formed in pentacene layer below Ag electrode activates the SHG, indicating the insufficient accumulation of injected carriers in the FET channel. By using the TRM-SHG technique transient change of the carrier density in the OFET is obtained.     

A Customized Many-Core Hardware Acceleration Platform for Short Read Mapping Problems Using Distributed Memory Interface with 3D–Stacked Architecture

Rapidly developing Next Generation Sequencing technologies produce huge amounts of short reads that consisting randomly fragmented DNA base pair strings. Assembling of those short reads poses a challenge on the mapping of reads to a reference genome in terms of both sensitivity and execution time. In this paper, we propose a customized many-core hardware acceleration platform for short read mapping problems based on hash-index method. The processing core is highly customized to suite both 2-hit string matching and banded Smith-Waterman sequence alignment operations, while distributed memory interface with 3D–stacked architecture provides high bandwidth and low access latency for highly customized dataset partitioning and memory access scheduling. Conformal with original BFAST program, our design provides an amazingly 45,012 times speedup over software approach for single-end short reads and 21,102 times for paired-end short reads, while also beats similar single FPGA solution for 1466 times in case of single end reads. Optimized seed generation gives much better sensitivity while the performance boost is still impressive.     

Application of a microbial sensor for determination of short-chain fatty acids in raw milk samples.

A microbial sensor system, based on the use of immobilized Arthrobacter nicotiana and an oxygen electrode, was applied to determine free short-chain fatty acids in raw milk samples and the result was compared with gas chromatography (GC) and a titrimetric method. The sensor response was linearly related to the concentration of short-chain fatty acids obtained by GC (n = 10, r = 0.92) and to the total concentration of free fatty acids obtained by titrimetric measurement (n = 10, r = 0.78). This result suggests that the present microbial sensor can selectively determine free short-chain fatty acids in raw milk samples and may be useful as a very fast detection method of rancidity in milk.     

Psychological problems and treatment possibilities in intensive care medicine exemplified by bone marrow transplantation

Bone Marrow resp. Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (BMT/PBSCT) represents the only chance of cure for many patients with haematological diseases. Treatment and convalescence place significant stress not only on patients but on partners, siblings (who are frequently donors) and medical staff. Stressors are the high risk of mortality and chronic disabilities, acute treatment side-effects and multiple psychological and social demands. This requires support during longt-term psychosocial sequelae. We present problems and possible interventions in an acute and a rehabilitative medical setting, discussing recent findings in respect of donors' motivations, social support and quality of life. Psychosocial support in BMT should be given in a process perspective systematically combining and assessing in- and outpatient interventions.     

Heart rate variability in depressed patients and differential effects of paroxetine and amitriptyline on cardiovascular autonomic functions

Twenty-four unmedicated patients with episodes of major depression (DSM-III-R) and an age- and sex-matched group of 24 normal subjects underwent a heart rate analysis. The battery of cardiovascular reflex tests included the coefficient of variation while resting (CVr) and during deep breathing (CVdr), a spectral analysis of heart rate variability, the Valsalva test, and the posture index. The depressed patients showed no significant abnormalities in any of the tests as compared to the healthy subjects. The 24 patients were randomly allocated for treatment with either amitriptyline or paroxetine. During treatment with 20 mg paroxetine per day, patients showed no changes in cardiovascular autonomic function tests after 14 days. However, treatment with 150 mg amitriptyline per day decreased all heart rate parameters significantly due to anticholinergic side effects, except heart rate, which increased significantly. As autonomic side effects are a potential hazard of antidepressant therapy, the data suggest that paroxetine is an appropriate antidepressant for cases with pre-existing cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy.     

Prevalence of perioperative complications after anterior spinal fusion for patients with idiopathic scoliosis

BACKGROUND: The most common primary brain tumors in children and adults are of astrocytic origin. Classic histologic grading schemes for astrocytomas have included evaluating the presence or absence of nuclear abnormalities, mitoses, vascular endothelial proliferation, and tumor necrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the vascular pattern of 17 astrocytoma surgical specimens (seven from children and 10 from adults), and four normal brains obtained at autopsy, utilizing antibody to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) utilizing confocal microscopy. A modified WHO classification was used. RESULTS: All tumor cases showed cells positive for GFAP. Control tissues showed a few, widely separated vessels. Pilocytic astrocytomas (four cases) showed lacy clusters of small-to-medium sized vessels, with intact vessel wall integrity. Diffuse, low grade astrocytoma (three cases) showed a staining pattern similar to control tissue; intermediate grade (one case), anaplastic astrocytoma (three cases) and gliobastoma multiforme (six cases) showed an increased vessel density with multiple small vessels (glomeruloid clusters), some with prominent intimal hyperplasia, loss of vessel wall integrity, and with numerous vWF-positive single cells/microvessels within the tumor substance. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of astrocytomas utilizing antibody to vWF and confocal microscopy aids in the grading of these neoplasms.