Assessment of environmental tobacco smoke exposure: urinary cotinine concentrations in children are strongly associated with the house dust concentrations of nicotine at home

In the present study the possibility of using nicotine in house dust as an index of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure was evaluated in an environmental investigation of 23 children with asthma. A standardized procedure for house dust sampling of nicotine with a filter holder connected to a vacuum cleaner, for a defined time and area was developed (F-nicotine). Also, house dust sampling was carried out from the vacuum cleaner bags of the homes (VC-nicotine). There was a larger variation in VC-nicotine (13-655, median 66 microg/g) compared with F-nicotine (15-393 median 156 microg/g). There were statistically significant associations between an inquiry data based ETS exposure index on the one hand, and urinary cotinine concentrations in children (U-cotinine), F-nicotine and VC-nicotine of their homes, on the other. The strong correlation between U-cotinine and F-nicotine (rs = 0.93; P < 0.0001) indicates that the new standardized house dust sampling method should be useful in ETS exposure assessment. However, further validation by a larger sample size with repeated measurements in the same homes is needed.     

Hydrodynamic control of nitrogen and phosphorus turnover in an eutrophicated estuary in the Baltic

The turnover of phosphorus and nitrogen have been studied in a low salinity estuary in the Bothnian Sea. The estuary, G?rdsfj?rden, has a high loading of nutrients from a pulp and paper mill which supplies the estuary with three times the annual natural input of phosphorus and nitrogen, respectively. The turnover of nutrients was to a great extent determined by hydrodynamic variations. During periods of intense resuspension there was a net export of particulate bound nutrients from the estuary to the sea but since these periods were short there was an overall net retention of particulate nutrients. The estuary was a source for dissolved phosphorus to the sea. The major source of phosphorus export was release of dissolved P from anoxic sediments. G?rdsfj?rden was a sink for dissolved nitrogen which most likely escaped the estuary by denitrification. Nitrate was supplied by degradation of particulate organic nitroge'n but the main source was import from the sea.     

A comparison of the carbon balances of a natural lake (L. Orträsket) and a hydroelectric reservoir (L. Skinnmuddselet) in northern Sweden

Carbon balances were calculated for the summer stratification period of 2001 for the hydroelectric reservoir L. Skinnmuddselet (created in 1989) and the natural L. Ortr?sket, and estimated on annual basis for both lakes. The reservoir and the lake have similar chemical characteristics and are located in adjacent catchments in the northern part of Sweden. Our main hypothesis was that the CO(2) production and emissions from the reservoir, L. Skinnmuddselet, would be greater than in the natural L. Ortr?sket, due to the decomposition of flooded vegetation and peat. The carbon balances showed that the total production of CO(2) per unit lake surface area during the summer was very similar in the natural lake and the reservoir (31.3 g Cm(-2) in L. Ortr?sket and 25.3 g Cm(-2) in L. Skinnmuddselet). The sediments were the major CO(2) source in the reservoir, while most of the mineralization in the natural lake occurred in the water column. On annual basis the natural L. Ortr?sket produced and emitted more CO(2) per unit of lake surface area than the reservoir L. Skinnmuddselet since mineralization proceeded during winter when L. Skinnmuddselet was emptied for electricity production. Therefore, the potential for CO(2) emission was not greater in the reservoir than in the natural lake.     

基于替代模型与遗传算法的混杂热塑性复合结构的优化

采用综合处理方法,如用织物结构或单向纤维丝,能够对注塑或模压热塑结构进行局部加强。网状结构可以通过周期性典型的注塑或模压方式生产,具有较好的力学性能。由于局部增强在数量和位置方面都增加了设计过程的复杂性,数学优化技术与有限元模拟的结合能够设计重量和成本均较优的结构。这项工作评价了与遗传算法结合的近似模型,案例采用普通的而不是工业化的梁结构。有限元模型基于层单元,分4种不同材料,用9个设计变量控制不同区域材料的厚度。材料的非线性性质包含了超塑聚合物和一种特殊织物材料的压缩响应。对有和没有定期选择、径向基函数及Kriging的4种不同近似方法的精度进行了评估。不是孤立地检查平均近似误差,而是提出了一个如何处理单一近似误差的方法。结果表明,在连续的、连续与离散混合的64个设计变量约束条件下,多峰遗传算法可以成功地用于优化结构重量。     

走近珠宝追梦人黄颖聪

从业十五载,从生产、行政到设计,多重身份的转变让他对珠宝有了更多的认识。以精巧细致追求完美,以灵动设计谋求共鸣。本期,就让我们跟随笔者的脚步,共同走近珠宝追梦人——黄颖聪的珠宝世界。梦幻宝石在黄颖聪的众多设计作品中,亚历山大变石可谓“常客”。     

Electrochemiluminescent arrays for cytochrome P450-activated genotoxicity screening. DNA damage from benzo[a]pyrene metabolites

Arrays suitable for genotoxicity screening are reported that generate metabolites from cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) in thin-film spots. Array spots containing DNA, various human cyt P450s, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) generating metallopolymer [Ru(bpy)2PVP10]2+ were exposed to H2O2 to activate the enzymes. ECL from all spots was visualized simultaneously using a CCD camera. Using benzo[a]pyrene as a test substrate, enzyme activity for producing DNA damage in the arrays was found in the order CYP1B1 > CYP1A2 > CYP1A1 > CYP2E1 > myoglobin, the same as the order of their metabolic activity. Thus, these arrays estimate the relative propensity of different enzymes to produce genotoxic metabolites. This is the first demonstration of ECL arrays for high-throughput in vitro genotoxicity screening.     

Metals in ALS TDP-43 Pathology

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and similar neurodegenerative disorders take their toll on patients, caregivers and society. A common denominator for these disorders is the accumulation of aggregated proteins in nerve cells, yet the triggers for these aggregation processes are currently unknown. In ALS, protein aggregation has been described for the SOD1, C9orf72, FUS and TDP-43 proteins. The latter is a nuclear protein normally binding to both DNA and RNA, contributing to gene expression and mRNA life cycle regulation. TDP-43 seems to have a specific role in ALS pathogenesis, and ubiquitinated and hyperphosphorylated cytoplasmic inclusions of aggregated TDP-43 are present in nerve cells in almost all sporadic ALS cases. ALS pathology appears to include metal imbalances, and environmental metal exposure is a known risk factor in ALS. However, studies on metal-to-TDP-43 interactions are scarce, even though this protein seems to have the capacity to bind to metals. This review discusses the possible role of metals in TDP-43 aggregation, with respect to ALS pathology.     

Volume and surface effects on two-photonic and three-photonic processes in dry co-doped upconversion nanocrystals

Despite considerable advances in synthesizing high-quality core/shell upconversion(UC)nanocrystals(NC;UCNC)and UCNC photophysics,the application of near-infrare...     

Direct Synthesis of Polyaromatic Cyclophanes Containing Bis-Methylene-Interrupted Z-Double Bonds and Study of Their Antitumor Activity In Vitro

An original synthetic route was developed for the preparation of previously unknown unsaturated polyaromatic macrolactones containing a 1Z,5Z-diene moiety in 48–71% yields and with >98% stereoselectivity. The method is based on intermolecular cyclocondensation of aromatic dicarboxylic acids with α,ω-alka-nZ,(n+4)Z-dienediols (1,12-dodeca-4Z,8Z-dienediol, 1,14-tetradeca-5Z,9Z-dienediol, 1,18-octadeca-7Z,11Z-dienediol) mediated by N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP). The unsaturated diols were prepared by successive homo-cyclomagnesiation of tetrahydropyran ethers of O-containing 1,2-dienes with EtMgBr in the presence of Mg metal and the Cp₂TiCl₂ catalyst (10 mol.%) and subsequent treatment with 0.1 equiv. of para-toluenesulfonic acid of pyran ethers formed after the acid hydrolysis of magnesacyclopentanes. The resulting cyclophanes exhibited high cytotoxic activity in vitro against Jurkat, K562, U937, and HL60 cancer lines. Additionally, the synthesized products were studied for their effect on mitochondria, ability to induce apoptosis, and influence on the cell cycle using modern flow cytometry methods.