Dechlorane plus levels in sediment of the lower Great Lakes

A recently discovered chlorinated flame retardant, Dechlorane Plus (DP), was reported in air and a sediment core within the North American Great Lakes region. To further reveal the fate of DP in the Great Lakes, 40 surficial sediments from Lakes Erie and Ontario and two additional cores were analyzed using newly available analytical grade DP isomer solutions. The maximum total concentration in Lake Ontario was over 60-fold higher than Lake Erie, 586 ng/g and 8.62 ng/g, respectively. Additionally, analysis of archived suspended sediments collected from the Niagara River (1980-2002) showed a declining total DP concentration of 89 ng/g to 7.0 ng/g, suggesting a possible decrease in production orthe reduction of free DP released into the environment during manufacturing. The average syn-DP fractional abundance (f(syn)) in our study was less than the commercial DP composition indicating a stereoselective enrichment of anti-DP in the environment Mean fyn profiles were uniquely similar to both Lake Ontario and the Niagara River in comparison to Lake Erie. During the course of our analysis we noticed an increasing f(syn) value in the calibration standard which became exacerbated as the liner got dirtier and suggested the prospect of DP degradation. Followup studies indicated these compounds were dechlorinated DP species produced on the injection liner. Using a clean injection liner, these degradates were also detected in sediments from the Niagara River and Lake Ontario;tentatively identified as [-Cl+H] and [-2Cl+2H] by high resolution mass spectrometry. The observed similarity of f(syn) profiles between Lake Ontario and Niagara River and the detection of the degradates only in their locations, suggest to us that the river is a major source to Lake Ontario's DP burden. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DP degradates in the environment.     

Fate of pharmaceutical and trace organic compounds in three septic system plumes, Ontario, Canada

Three high volume septic systems in Ontario, Canada, were examined to assess the potential for onsite wastewatertreatment systems to release pharmaceutical compounds to the environment and to evaluate the mobility of these compounds in receiving aquifers. Wastewater samples were collected from the septic tanks, and groundwater samples were collected below and down gradient of the infiltration beds and analyzed for a suite of commonly used pharmaceutical and trace organic compounds. The septic tank samples contained elevated concentrations of several pharmaceutical compounds. Ten of the 12 compounds analyzed were detected in groundwater at one or more sites at concentrations in the low ng L(-1) to low microg L(-1) range. Large differences among the sites were observed in both the number of detections and the concentrations of the pharmaceutical compounds. Of the compounds analyzed, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, and naproxen were observed to be transported atthe highest concentrations and greatest distances from the infiltration source areas, particularly in anoxic zones of the plumes.     

Levels and isomer profiles of dechlorane plus in Chinese air

The highly chlorinated flame retardant, Dechlorane Plus (DP), was measured in air across 97 Chinese urban and rural sites. DP was detected in 51 of these sites, with a mean air concentration in urban centers (15.6 +/- 15.1 pg m(-3)) approximately 5 times greater than those measured in rural areas (3.5 +/- 5.6 pg m(-3)). These DP levels were likely attributable to local sources rather than trans-boundary influences. Elevated urban levels were measured along the southeastern coast and in south-central China; the highest concentration was observed in the city of Kunming (66 pg m(-3)). Few of the urban samples (7%) and a majority of the rural samples (62%) were below the method detection limit, notably areas in rural central and northeastern China. The mean fractional abundance of the syn-DP isomer (f(syn)) in all samples was 0.33 +/- 0.10, values indistinguishable from that of a commercial mixture (f(syn) = 0.35). This paper represents the first report on DP levels in Chinese air, together with isomeric ratio profiles from urban and rural sites.     

New edible coatings composed of galactomannans and collagen blends to improve the postharvest quality of fruits – Influence on fruits gas transfer rate

The objective of this work was to produce new edible coatings, based on a mixture of galactomannans from novel sources (seeds of Adenanthera pavonina and Caesalpinia pulcherrima), collagen and glycerol, and to determine their influence in gas transfer rates when they are applied on mangoes and apples. The first part of the work consisted in obtaining coating solutions with the convenient values of wettability for each fruit; such coating solutions were then characterized in terms of their permeability (to CO₂, O₂ and water vapour), mechanical properties, colour and opacity. Gas transfer rates from mangoes coated with a solution of A. pavonina galactomannan (0.5%), collagen (1.5%) and glycerol (1.5%) were compared with those of mangoes without coating: 28% less O₂ consumption and 11% less CO₂ production were observed in coated mangoes. The same procedure was performed in apples (in this case using C. pulcherrima galactomannan (0.5%), collagen (1.5%) and no glycerol); the CO₂ production and the O₂ consumption was approximately 50% lower in apples with coating than in apples without coating. The results suggest that these coatings can reduce gas transfer rates in these fruits, and can be therefore important tools to extend their shelf life.     

测试3G手机的DigRF

DigRF准备替换RF与基带半导体器件之间的两种主要形式的数据通信路径：模拟信令,以及针对具体设计的私有数字信令（并行或串行）。MIPI（移动业处理器接口）联盟正在致力于采用DigRF（数字射频）标准,用一种基于分组的公共数字串行接口代替各种类型的I／Q（同相位／正交相位）信令接口。一个MIPI联盟工作小组已开发了用于2．5G和3G手机标准的DigRF规范,预计其后版本会增加支持4G标准的数据流量。     

Maladaptive cognitive appraisals mediate the evolution of posttraumatic stress reactions: A 6-month follow-up of child and adolescent assault and motor vehicle accident survivors.

A prospective longitudinal follow-up study (n = 59) of child and adolescent survivors of physical assaults and motor vehicle accidents assessed whether cognitive processes predicted posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) at 6 months posttrauma in this age group. In particular, the study assessed whether maladaptive posttraumatic appraisals mediated the relationship between initial and later posttraumatic stress. Self-report measures of PTSS, maladaptive appraisals, and other cognitive processes, as well as structured interviews assessing for acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were completed at 2–4 weeks and 6 months posttrauma. PTSS and PTSD at 6 months were associated with maladaptive appraisals and other cognitive processes but not demographic or objective trauma severity variables. Only maladaptive appraisals were found to associate with PTSS/PTSD after partialing out initial symptoms/diagnosis and to mediate between initial and later PTSS. It was argued that, on this basis, maladaptive appraisals are involved in the development and maintenance of PTSS over time, whereas other cognitive processes (e.g., subjective threat, memory processes) may have an effect only in the acute phase. The implications of this study for the treatment of PTSS in youths are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developing a thermophilic hydrogen-producing co-culture for efficient utilization of mixed sugars

Previous studies on the extreme thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus revealed that the organism produces high yields of hydrogen on glucose and xylose, the major components of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. Preliminary experiments on mixed sugar substrates, however, indicated that xylose was preferred over glucose. The sugar preference of some other extreme thermophiles, including Caldicellulosiruptor owensensis, Caldicellulosiruptor kristjanssonii and newly enriched, thermophilic compost sludge microflora, was investigated in an attempt to find complementary organisms to C. saccharolyticus for rapid and efficient utilization of lignocellulosic sugars. The behavior of C. owensensis and C. kristjanssonii appeared to be similar to that of C. saccharolyticus, either in pure cultures or in co-cultures with the latter. Co-culturing C. saccharolyticus with the enriched compost microflora resulted in fast, simultaneous consumption of both glucose and xylose in the medium with a relatively high specific hydrogen production rate, 40 mmol (gCDW)⁻¹ h⁻¹, and high volumetric productivity, 22.5 mmol l⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

为医疗保健实现移动性:我们为何需要“医疗级无线设备”

可以通过加速提供无线医疗解决方案来削减卫生保健成本。为了实现这个目标,需要一种随处可见且可靠的无线基础设施一种设备,能够构建框架,从而无论病患身在何处,都可以在适当的时候获得适当的护理。