Estimation of dietary intake of pesticide residues by the Italian population during 1997

In 1997 the Italian monitoring programme for pesticide residues in food comprised 7951 samples of 152 different foods for which a total of 275 pesticides were analysed. For 90 pesticides, the National Estimated Daily Intakes (NEDIs) were calculated by using the 90th percentile value and the food consumption data for the general Italian population. The calculated NEDIs were found to represent only a small portion of the respective Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI).     

Similarity of phylogenetic trees as indicator of protein-protein interaction

Deciphering the network of protein interactions that underlinescellular operations has become one of the main tasks of proteomicsand computational biology. Recently, a set of bioinformaticsapproaches has emerged for the prediction of possible interactionsby combining sequence and genomic information. Even though theinitial results are very promising, the current methods arestill far from perfect. We propose here a new way of discoveringpossible protein–protein interactions based on the comparisonof the evolutionary distances between the sequences of the associatedprotein families, an idea based on previous observations ofcorrespondence between the phylogenetic trees of associatedproteins in systems such as ligands and receptors. Here, weextend the approach to different test sets, including the statisticalevaluation of their capacity to predict protein interactions.To demonstrate the possibilities of the system to perform large-scalepredictions of interactions, we present the application to acollection of more than 67 000 pairs of E.coli proteins, ofwhich 2742 are predicted to correspond to interacting proteins.     

Relationship with the mother modulates the response of yearling Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to the birth of a sibling.

The authors investigated the changes induced by the birth of a sibling in the relationship of 1-year-old Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) with their mothers and group companions. After the birth of a sibling, mother-yearling contact, proximity, and grooming decreased dramatically. Yearlings responded to such a reduction in maternal care in either of 2 radically different ways. Yearlings either sought attention from group companions and showed no sign of depression or did not compensate for the mother's reduced availability and became depressed. The modality of response was predicted by the quality of the relationship with the mother before the sibling birth. Yearlings that had spent a larger amount of time in contact with their mothers were less likely to become depressed. Security of the attachment relationship with the mother may be the factor mediating the link between the time in contact and the yearling's response to the birth of a sibling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cutthroat Measurement Flume Calibration for Free and Submerged Flow Using a Single Equation

A series of detailed laboratory measurements were made under steady-state flow conditions through a 0.914-m (3-ft) Cutthroat flume in an attempt to more accurately define transition submergence for four standard throat widths. It was found that the change from free to submerged flow, and vice versa, is gradual and that there is no easily observable transition point. The gradual transition between the flow regimes suggested a new calibration approach in which a single equation could more elegantly and more accurately fit the laboratory measurements, eschewing the need for separate free- and submerged-flow equations, and obviating the need to define transition submergence. Such an equation was found, providing greater calibration accuracy up to 95% submergence in 0.914-m Cutthroat flumes.     

Water use (and abuse) and its effects on the crater‐lakes of Valle de Santiago,Mexico

Most Mexicans live in the arid and semiarid regions that represent two‐thirds of the Mexican territory, where water is scarce. Natural, as well as human, causes are favouring the degradation of Mexican lakes. There is a clear need to develop and implement sustainable water‐use programmes at a catchment scale. However, the accelerated degradation rate of the Mexican lakes means that there will not be enough time to perform whole‐basin evaluations to establish sustainable water‐use programmes before the lakes dry up. The case of the Valle de Santiago crater‐lakes clearly illustrates the declining trend that Mexican inland aquatic resources follow. Vegetation clearance, overgrazing, abatement of phreatic waters and salinization have induced severe erosion and overall desertification (land degradation) in the basin for what, it seems, a long time (i.e. prehispanic times). In this way, human activities could be provoking at least the following negative consequences: a hotter and drier local climate, water scarcity, dust storms and soil salinization. The aquatic (surface and groundwater) resources of the Valle de Santiago basin have been seriously threatened. Two of the four crater‐lakes have already dried up and phreatic mantle abatement reaches up to 2.5 m per year. In spite of these facts, no sustainable water‐use programme has been established yet. The future scenery of this Mexican basin looks alarmingly like many other basins in the central and northern Mexican territories.     

Current-Mode Multiplier/Divider Circuits Based on the MOS Translinear Principle

In this paper, novel current-mode analog multiplier/divider circuits based on a pair of voltage-translinear loops are presented, featuring simplicity, precision and wide dynamic range. They are suitable for standard CMOS fabrication and can be successfully employed in a wide range of analog signal processing applications. Two versions, based on stacked and up-down voltage-translinear loops, respectively, are described. Experimental results are provided in order to verify their correct operation.     

High-Temperature Plastic Behavior of TZP–Ni Cermets

The creep behavior of tetragonal zirconia TZP–Ni cermets with metal contents below, close to, and above the percolation limit has been studied. Compressive creep tests were performed on as-received materials and samples in which the metal phase was chemically removed (ceramic skeletons). The stress exponent and the activation energy for plastic flow are independent of the nickel content and decrease continuously on increasing the stress and/or the temperature; skeleton structures display the same trend, suggesting that creep is controlled by the zirconia matrix. The steady-state constitutive equation for high-purity monolithic zirconia applies to the cermets when the stress is corrected with the porosity and volume fraction of percolated nickel.     

A multispectral imaging technique to determine concentration profiles of myoglobin derivatives during meat oxygenation

We have designed a multispectral imaging acquisition system to measure the relative concentration values of myoglobin forms inside meat during oxygenation. Images at 474, 525, 572 and 610 nm are used to compute the concentration of reduced myoglobin, oxymyoglobin and metmyoglobin with a spatial resolution of 0.0125 mm/pixel. From these images, pigment concentration profiles as a function of oxygenation time and depth beneath the surface were obtained. A model describing the diffusion of oxygen and the consumption of reduced myoglobin is numerically tested versus the measured concentration profiles. The model accurately fits the data with a Mean Root Squared Error equal to 0.253%. Precise definitions for position and width of pigment layers based in concentration profiles are given. The results suggest that multispectral imaging techniques combined with precise control and measurement of sample temperature and oxygen partial pressure will permit detailed studies of the myoglobin chemistry during oxygenation.     

Toxikologie der Perfluoroctans?ure (PFOA) und der Perfluoroctansulfons?ure (PFOS)

Perfluorierte Tenside (PFT) werden seit einigen Jahren weltweit in der Umwelt, in menschlichen Blut- und Muttermilchproben sowie in Lebensmitteln nachgewiesen. In den letzten Jahren wurden auf nationaler und internationaler Ebene - zum überwiegenden Teil vorl?ufige - Risikobewertungen für die perfluorierten Tenside Perfluoroctans?ure (PFOA) und Perfluoroctansulfons?ure (PFOS) erarbeitet. Diese beiden Verbindungen werden als Leitsubstanzen für die Substanzklasse angesehen. Aus Sicht der humantoxikologischen Bewertung sind die lange Persistenz im menschlichen Organismus und die F?higkeit, im Tierversuch verschiedene adverse Effekte auszul?sen, als kritische Eigenschaften dieser Verbindungen anzusehen. Um den vielen Aspekten der Toxikologie von PFOS und PFOA gerecht zu werden, die im Rahmen dieser Darstellung nicht beleuchtet werden k?nnen, sei für weitere Informationen auf ausführliche übersichtsartikel verwiesen (Andersen et al., 2008; Lau et al., 2007).