The mineral composition of apples. XI. An extraction technique suitable for the rapid determination of calcium, but not potassium and magnesium, in the fruit

Practically all the calcium could be extracted from apple tissue, provided that particle size was reduced initially by a blending procedure, by heating with 6 N-hydrochloric acid for 10 min. Tests with commercial samples indicated that including the time required to remove the seeds, a determination of calcium could be completed within 45 min of receiving a sample of 20 apples. Potassium, phosphorus and hydrochloric acid were the main factors interfering with the determination of 0.25 to 1.25 parts/million of calcium in solutions similar to those of apple ash or extracts by emission in a flame spectrophotometer. Average proportions of these and the other main constituents of the ash were added to standard calcium solutions to overcome interferences in routine analyses after dry ashing or extraction with hydrochloric acid. Recoveries of potassium and magnesium were low when the extraction procedure was used.     

Redistribution of minerals in apple fruit during storage: Effects of storage temperature,varietal differences and orchard management

Transverse calcium redistribution from the cores to the outer zones of the fruit was interrupted for a short period when calcium was imported by the cores of both Cox and Spartan apples, especially at 3.5°C. Bitter pit lesions developed in mid and outer cortical tissues of Cox fruit stored at 3.5°C 2 to 4 weeks after calcium concentrations in these zones were reduced. Redistribution of magnesium from the outer zones to the cores of Spartan apples occurred during storage at 3.5°C but was inhibited at 0°C. Redistribution of magnesium in Cox's Orange Pippin apples was mainly from inner cortex to the core and outer zones at 3.5°C and from central to outer zones at 0°C, but immediately low temperature breakdown become evident at 0°C, magnesium was transferred from the peel and core to the affected zones. The redistribution of phosphorus to the cores, which occurred in Spartan apples (resistant to low temperature breakdown) stored at either 3.5°C or 0°C was barely evident in Cox fruit (susceptible to low temperature breakdown) stored at 3.5°C and did not occur at 0°C. Irrigated grass compared with overall herbicide soil management increased the proportion of calcium in the core zones of both Cox and Spartan apples and the proportion of magnesium in the core zone of Spartan apples at harvest. Irrigated grass management also increased the rate of calcium redistribution in Cox and Spartan fruit during storage and altered magnesium redistribution in Spartan apples stored at 0°C.     

Incidence of bitter pit in relation to the calcium content of apples: Calcium distribution in the fruit

The distribution of calcium at harvest, its subsequent redistribution within the fruit during storage in air at 2.8°C and bitter pit development in samples of Cox's Orange Pippin apples picked at intervals during September and October were investigated. The distribution of calcium in the fruit changed on the tree and during storage. The percentages of pitted apples, assessed in January, were poorly related to calcium concentrations in the whole fruit or in any fruit zone at harvest. Redistribution of calcium from the mid and outer cortical tissues to the core zone was followed, at longer intervals over successive picks, by the appearance of bitter pit lesions. The earliest-picked sample was less affected by bitter pit than samples picked later in September. The least bitter pit occurred in samples picked in October, after the climacteric rise in respiration, and these fruits were apparently less subject to fluctuations in calcium concentrations during storage.     

Evaluation of the quantitative reliability of the 13C CP/MAS technique for the analysis of coals and related materials

The percentages of aromatic carbon in three representative solid coal samples and one pitch sample have been determined by three different n.m.r. techniques. The first two involve the use of cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning (CP/MAS) and in one case, the magnetization curves were fitted to a theoretical expression and the fit parameters used to calculate the percentage of aromatic carbon. In the second case, the percentage of aromatic carbons was obtained from a choice of contact time in the cross-polarization pulse sequence which gave maximum signal intensity. The third technique used MAS together with a simple 90° carbon pulse sequence with a 5 × T₁, (for the carbon-13 nuclei) recycle time and was assumed to give the absolute quantitative values. It was found that the results obtained using cross-polarization techniques could be substantially different from those obtained using 90° pulses and that caution must be exercised in the application of these techniques to the quantitative analysis of solid carbonaceous fuels.     

地质钻探过程中上返岩屑的组分研究

采用全俄石油钻进研究院提出的岩屑组分研究方法,分析了乌克兰顿巴斯矿区地质钻探过程中上返岩屑的组分研究结果,可为钻探冲洗液的选择提供理论依据。     

Cardiotrophin-1, a cytokine present in embryonic muscle, supports long-term survival of spinal motoneurons

Activation of courtship behavior in male red-sided garter snakes is independent of androgens. Only exposure to extended periods of low temperature with subsequent warming stimulates courtship in males. The pineal gland is thought to transduce temperature as well as photoperiodic information in reptiles. Therefore, we explored the relationship of the pineal and melatonin to sexual behavior in this species. Pinealectomy of male garter snakes disrupted sexual behavior upon emergence from a 17-week period of low temperature in approximately 60% of treated individuals in each of the 3 years of study. However, 40% of the males were unaffected by the pinealectomy, engaging in vigorous courtship. Administration of exogenous, chronic melatonin did not significantly modulate the effect of pinealectomy. Upon pinealectomy in the autumn (before hibernation), plasma levels of melatonin fell. However, upon emergence from hibernation, melatonin levels in pinealectomized (PINX) and sham-treated (SHAM) animals were equivalent, indicating extrapineal source(s) of melatonin. However, PINX males did not exhibit a diel cycle in melatonin levels upon emergence. Instead, melatonin remained elevated through the subsequent 24-hr period. SHAMs did exhibit a diel cycle. Ten days after emergence, PINX animals either had a disrupted/abnormal melatonin cycle and were non-courters or had a cycle similar to SHAM males and courted. Therefore, a normal diel cycle of melatonin appeared necessary for the proper expression of courtship behavior. These results suggest that the pineal in snakes 1) is part of a complex, multi-oscillator system as it is in birds and lizards and 2) may play a role in maintaining polymorphism in timing of reproductive behavior.     

Teaching preadolescents to act as scientists: Replication and extension of an earlier study.

Replicated and extended the study of R. S. Siegler's et al (see record 1973-26867-001) in which preadolescents were purportedly trained to solve Inhelder and Piaget's pendulum problem. 60 5th-grade students of 2 public schools were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups to be trained by Siegler's method or to 1 of 2 control groups. Immediate posttests and transfer tasks were used with some groups. As with Siegler's work, a significant training effect was found. A weak transfer effect was found, but delayed performance on a pendulum problem showed no training effect. It is suggested that the training effect is better explained as application of memorized algorithms than as development of formal operations. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study. XV: Relationship of renin-angiotensin system gene polymorphisms with microalbuminuria in NIDDM

We performed a case-control study to determine whether molecular variants of genes of the renin-angiotensin system were associated with the presence of albuminuria in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). A total of 180 diabetic patients with persistent microalbuminuria [median urinary albumin (interquartile range) of 74 (54 to 126 mg/liter)] were matched with two control groups of diabetic patients without microalbuminuria [median urinary albumin 7 (5 to 10) mg/liter] for variables known to be associated with raised urinary albumin concentration including hemoglobin A1c and triglyceride. One control group was also matched for blood pressure and the other group was not, to allow assessment of interactions with hypertension. Association with the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene and M235T variant of the angiotensinogen gene (AGT) with microalbuminuria and retinopathy was examined. There were no significant differences in genotype frequency between cases and controls for ACE or AGT irrespective of blood pressure matching. However, among subjects with microalbuminuria, those with the ACE DD genotype had a significantly greater urinary albumin excretion than individuals with a non-DD genotype [median 88 (68 to 170) mg/liter vs. 67 (53 to 113) mg/liter, P < 0.001]. More subjects with the DD than non-DD genotype had persistent albuminuria > 100 mg/liter, twice the upper normal range (60% vs. 38%, P = 0.006). When increased albumin excretion occurs, the presence of the ACE DD genotype appears to be associated with higher urinary albumin levels. No association with retinopathy was observed.     

Chemical Colouring of Metals

Developments in conveyors, phosphating, paint dipping, spray booths and ovens for the processing of automotive bodies are reviewed. Present trends are examined and discussed and the necessity for increasing knowledge in certain areas before further improvements can be made is stressed.     

Surface plasmon resonance biosensor for rapid label-free detection of microribonucleic acid at subfemtomole level

Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) have been linked with various regulatory functions and disorders, such as cancers and heart diseases. They, therefore, present an important target for detection technologies for future medical diagnostics. We report here a novel method for rapid and sensitive miRNA detection and quantitation using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor technology and a DNA*RNA antibody-based assay. The approach takes advantage of a novel high-performance portable SPR sensor instrument for spectroscopy of surface plasmons based on a special diffraction grating called a surface plasmon coupler and disperser (SPRCD). The surface of the grating is functionalized with thiolated DNA oligonucleotides which specifically capture miRNA from a liquid sample without amplification. Subsequently, an antibody that recognizes DNA*RNA hybrids is introduced to bind to the DNA*RNA complex and enhance sensor response to the captured miRNA. This approach allows detection of miRNA in less than 30 min at concentrations down to 2 pM with an absolute amount at high attomoles. The methodology is evaluated for analysis of miRNA from mouse liver tissues and is found to yield results which agree well with those provided by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).