Saturation of ecosystems with toxic metals in Sudbury basin, Ontario, Canada

Mining and resource recovery activities have not been kind to ecosystems in the Sudbury basin, Ontario. The combination of logging, smelting, fires and erosion resulted in an unusual anthropogenic ecosystem of denuded barren land with lifeless lakes, or a micro-desert. Since the 1970s, however, the concerted efforts made to reduce the emissions and rehabilitate parts of the degraded ecosystem have resulted in improvements in water quality, and recoveries in phytoplankton, zooplankton, zoobenthos and fish communities but have had little impact on toxic metal concentrations in many lakes. We show that most of the catchments in the Sudbury basin have become saturated with Cu and Ni, and some with Zn and Pb. It is estimated that mobilization of metals stored in soils and glacial overburden by surface runoff, groundwater drainage and wind re-working of tailings can sustain the high concentrations of Cu and Ni in many lakes for well over 1000 years. Strategies to immobilize the pollutant metals in the watershed rather than further emission controls may be required for dealing with high levels of toxic metals in surface waters of the saturated ecosystems.     

Kinetic and immunohistochemical characteristics of mitogen-induced cutaneous hypersensitivity in chickens selected for antibody responsiveness

Mitogen-induced cutaneous hypersensitivity was evaluated in chickens selected for high and low antibody responses to SRBC, and in a random bred control line. Wing web swelling responses were found after subcutaneous administration of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), respectively, in all three lines. All mitogens induced significant acute 4 h wing web swelling responses, followed by a significant (classical) late 24 h wing web swelling response. The 4 h responses were significantly lower in the L line, whereas a tendency for lower responses at 24 h in the L line was found as well. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the early and late wing web swelling responses revealed extravascular localisation of leukocytes at 24 h after sensitization with mitogens, which consisted of CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, TCR-1+ cells, and heterophils, but no B cells, whereas the 4 h swelling response was primarily characterized by oedema. Cutaneous hypersensitivity either initiated by T-cell mitogens as well as B-cell mitogens may depend for an important part on the rapid induction of local homing of lymphocytes towards the sensitizing agent, which may be mediated by an acute local expression of molecules with chemo-attractive capacities. Interpretation of cellular immunity responses in vivo such as delayed-type hypersensitivity should therefore incorporate oedema-initiating characteristics of sensitizing agents. The relationship between the magnitude of cutaneous hypersensitivity to mitogens and selection for antibody responsiveness is discussed.     

Persistent or recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome following prior endoscopic carpal tunnel release

Immunohistochemistry was applied in the investigation of the possible existence of serotonin in human skin. It was found that epidermal melanocytes express a serotonin-like immunoreactivity. The immunoreactivity was associated with both the cytoplasm and the cellular membrane, though the latter was only found in certain cells. The serotonin anti-serum labeled the same cells as NKI-beteb, which is known as a reliable marker of melanocytes. Blocking experiments showed that both serotonin and NKI-beteb have different epitopes in the melanocytes. In in vitro studies, serotonin-like immunoreactivity appeared in approximately 90% of cultured human melanocytes, and was found both in the cytoplasm and also in the nuclei. Thus, we believe the melanocytes to be the origin of serotonin (or a serotonin-like molecule) in the skin.     

Contrast media-induced ventricular fibrillation: an experimental study of the effects of dimeric contrast media during wedged catheter injection in dogs

Expression/induction of the 72 and 60 kDa heat shock proteins (HSPS 72 and 60) in cultured human keratinocytes by high calcium was studied with immunofluorescent staining and the flow cytometric method. Normal human keratinocytes cultured in serum free, low calcium medium (Ca2+, 0.1 mM) at 3-passage weakly expressed HSP 60, but not HSP 72, as fine granules in the cytoplasm. HSP 72 was induced in the perinuclear cytosomal area and then in the nucleus after transferring the cells in high calcium medium (Ca2+, 1.8 mM). Whereas the nuclear accumulation began to decrease 24 h after the treatment, the perinuclear cytosomal staining continued. High calcium also augmented the expression of HSP 60 as coarse granules in the cytoplasm. Flow cytometric analyses quantitatively revealed the induction of HSP 72 and the upregulation of HSP 60 by high calcium treatment. Our results clearly demonstrated that extracellular calcium concentration modifies the level of expression of HSP 72 and 60 in normal human keratinocytes, indicating the importance of the careful attention to medium condition in evaluating the expression of HSPS 72 and 60 in cultured keratinocytes.     

Evaluation of drawing on 3D surfaces with haptics

We describe experiments for evaluating the speed and accuracy of a haptic drawing interface, particularly in terms of the effects of changing two haptic characteristics the magnitude of the friction force and the use of smooth, interpolated-normal force shading in combination with the effect of stereo displays and shadows. Because surface geometry affects the sense of touch, we studied the efficacy of the haptic interface in the context of varying geometric characteristics of the surface drawing task. We also found that stereo displays, in combination with haptics, can provide additional benefits for drawing in terms of reducing error and increasing speed for the drawing task. So the decision to introduce shadows in a VR system should be considered in the context of the expected task mix.     

Physiological responses of wheelchair athletes at percentages of top speed

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The para-Bombay phenotype has a relatively high frequency of about 1 in 8,000 Taiwanese. Studies were carried out on eight healthy and unrelated Taiwanese with the para-Bombay phenotype to cast light on its immunogenetic basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood and saliva samples were tested with standard hemagglutination techniques. Salivary ABH substances were determined by hemagglutination inhibition. PCR techniques were used to amplify the coding region of the H genes. RESULTS: Five different h alleles, designated as h1, h2, h3, h4 and h5, were identified in the Taiwanese with the para-Bombay phenotype. The h1 allele loses one of the three AG repeats located at the nucleotides 547-552 of the H gene, whereas two of the three T repeats located at the nucleotides 880-882 are deleted in the h2 allele. The h3 allele contains a C658 to T missense mutation, whereas two missense mutations, C35 to T and A980 to C were identified in the h4 allele. A T460 to C missense is present in the h5 allele. The h5 allele was identified in an individual whose red blood cells contain blood group A antigen but not H antigen, and thus may be considered a weak variant of the H gene. CONCLUSIONS: So far no biologic relevance of the H antigen has been discovered, and its deficiency does not seem to produce any deleterious effects. There may be better understanding of the evolutionary basis for the polymorphisms at these loci after systematic study of different ethnic populations.     

Positive talk training in an adult with traumatic brain injury

Social skills often create a barrier to placement in less restrictive environments for persons with TBI. This case study illustrated the use of a positive talk program in the treatment of a person with long-standing social skill deficits. Occupational therapy intervention with speech-language consultation began with an evaluation of the cognitive barriers that influenced the client's social behavior. Work with the client's concrete concept formation, decreased memory, and poor generalization skills led to the development of the positive talk training program described. Through an understanding of the underlying cognitive deficits that influenced the client's behavior, the clinical team was able to develop an individual treatment plan. The intervention resulted in modification of behavior that would have required placing the client in a restricted environment. In the final analysis, the client's social skills improved to a level where he could be discharged to a less restrictive environment.     

Gastrointestinal involvement in Henoch-Sch?nlein syndrome: CT findings

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the CT features of gastrointestinal involvement in seven patients with Henoch-Sch?nlein syndrome. CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of Henoch-Sch?nlein syndrome is low, it should be considered when CT scans show multifocal areas of bowel-wall thickening, mesenteric edema, vascular engorgement, and nonspecific lymphadenopathy. It should be considered especially in young patients with acute gastrointestinal symptoms.